Vladimir Putin has participated in a televised meeting with the mothers of Russian soldiers deployed in Ukraine.
He told mothers not to believe everything they see on television or read on the Internet, claiming that there is a lot of fake news circulating about the war and that the reality is completely different.
In the pre-recorded meeting, he said the Russian leadership shared the pain of families who had lost loved ones and that nothing could replace the agony of losing a son.
“I want you to know that I personally and the entire leadership of the country share your pain. We understand that nothing can replace the loss of a son – especially for a mother. We share this pain,” said the Russian leader.
He said he had no regrets about launching what he called Russia’s “special military operation” against Ukraine, describing the war as a defining moment when Moscow finally stood up to Western hegemony.
Sunday marks Mother’s Day in Russia, so the meeting has been held to coincide with the holiday.
Hundreds of thousands of Russians have been sent to fight in Ukraine, including 300,000 reservists.
Russia last publicly disclosed its military losses on September 21, when Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said 5,937 troops had been killed.
However, international estimates put the number much higher.
America’s top general estimated on November 9 that Russia and Ukraine had each seen more than 100,000 of their soldiers killed or wounded.