In an address on International Women’s Day on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to “the mothers, wives, sisters, and fiancées of our men and officers, who are fighting to defend Russia during the special military operation,” telling them to be proud of their loved ones.
“I know that you are worried about your loved ones,” he said, according to reports. “You can be proud of them, just as the whole country is proud and concerned about them.”
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He further added that “only professional military personnel are fulfilling the tasks set to them,” assuring listeners that those in reserves or conscripted soldiers would not be subject to battle.
As of Wednesday, roughly two weeks since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, the civilian death toll is estimated to be more than 500.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said Wednesday that 40 children were among the total 516 civilians who have been killed. According to the report, another 908 civilians have been wounded.
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On Sunday, a mother and her two children were killed by a Russian mortar that struck a bridge as they tried to escape a suburb of Kyiv. Upon learning of the brutal killing, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “We will punish everyone who committed atrocities in this war. On our land. We will find every b******. Which shot at our cities, our people. Which bombed our land. Which launched rockets. Which gave the order and pressed ‘start.'”
