Russian mother found out her son had died in Ukraine through a message from a stranger on social media – The Observer

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Valya (not his real name) last spoke to his son on February 20: “He told me he was doing military exercises near the Ukrainian border and living in tents”. Four days later, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, but the Russian woman heard news from her cousin in early March, when a sergeant called her from her son’s base: “He told me that everyone was fine. , contact person. him every day. We were in touch in March and he said everything was fine.

But all is not well. A man who introduced himself as his son’s friend sent a message to Valya. “I didn’t know him. I found myself on social media. He told me that my son’s leg had exploded and he had died. Shocked, woman reports, in an interview with the BBC, said she made “several calls” to her son’s military base, but “no one could tell him anything”. Finally, Valya called the sergeant, with whom he had been in contact throughout March, who admitted to him: “We last spoke with your son on February 23”.

“Why did you call me? [a dizer que estava tudo bem]?” asked Vaila. On the other hand, a brief response: “Sorry. I am only a sergeant.” The Russian mother did not give up and even wrote to the Ministry of Defense. “No one has been able to give me the most basic information about when, where and how my son went missing. They said he was a part of a ‘special military operation’ and went missing.”

A few months later – Valya did not specify when he received Official announcement that son died in war in Ukraine. Despite this, the woman assures that she does not hold a grudge against the Kiev authorities. “If so [a Rússia] If attacked in this way, we will defend ourselves as they do. We also become defensive and angry.

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Valya says that after her son’s death, she often talks to mothers of other players. Contrary to Russian propaganda, these women rebel against the government and the war. “They hate Vladimir Putin. They want to stop the war. All mothers love it.

“We are the lowest class. We are simple folk. All the fighting youths are from remote regions of Russia. They are not Muscovites. No children of government officials [na guerra da Ucrânia]”, laments Viola, who wants to see the end of the war. “Stop it. Stop, protect our children.

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