Poorly trained and equipped, they still fight in war. How Putin sacrifices reservists – and why mothers of martyrs are “too dangerous” for him.
When Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of Russian civilians to the front as part of his war of aggression against Ukraine at the end of September, they could only guess at what awaited them. Two months later it is clear: the condition of the barely trained soldiers is more than devastating.
[Lesen Sie hier, wie sich die angegriffene Ukraine für den Winter wappnet].
There is not only a lack of expertise, but also a lack of working military equipment. Everyday items such as winter coats are missing. Russia expert Nico Lange reported that relatives and acquaintances of Russian soldiers ordered equipment online and sent it to the front.
Former Defense Ministry employee explains live to the ZDF today that Putin deliberately sacrificed his soldiers. For example, by being sent to “places you know to be very dangerous”, such as the city of Bakhmut, which has repeatedly resisted Russian attacks for months.
Soldiers sent to minefields
It is absolutely inhumane that Russian commanders use newly mobilized soldiers to “see where the mines in the minefields are and exactly where the Ukrainian positions are.” According to Lange, there is also talk of harassment by older soldiers.
Military expert Carlo Masala is also sure: “They are neither operational nor equipped. […]. This is cannon fodder sent to the front lines. This is crowds of people intended to represent ‘waves’ if attacks occur.”
The Kremlin boss “burns” part of his own population. Lang sums up that his goal was to slowly push back the Ukrainian defenses to buy time. “Putin hopes that [dann] It can be re-established, perhaps new weapons can be bought from North Korea or Iran, and then strengthened and a new offensive can begin.”
Putin complains to mothers of soldiers
Announcing knowledge of the miserable conditions is also due to reservists sending photos and videos to their families or posting them on the Internet. Since October, relatives have been protesting the so-called partial mobilization with increasing frequency. They demand that their loved ones be removed from combat duty, adequately fed, housed and equipped.
“Life is more complex and diverse than what is shown on TV screens or even on the Internet. There’s a lot of fraud, cheating, lies.”
Lange: Soldiers’ mothers are too dangerous for Putin
There is a strategic reason why Putin sat at the table with the mothers of soldiers who fought on Russia’s Mother’s Day. “The soldiers’ mothers have a long history and are very dangerous for Putin,” Lange said. In past wars, such as the Chechen war, the mothers of the warring soldiers mobilized society at large.
“Because the mothers of the soldiers openly state that Russian men died in battle and that the Russian armed forces treated their own people so inhumanly.” According to Lange, the production, which is said to feature women and actresses loyal to the Kremlin, includes words such as “We will do everything we can to make you feel a shoulder by your side”. It should indicate:
The staged interview with the soldiers’ mothers shows that Putin is taking the protests seriously.
Watch the full interview with Nico Lange in the video above. You can watch the entire episode of ZDFheute live here. “Die on the Front” to see.
You can find the latest news about the Russian attack on Ukraine anytime on our live blog:
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Source: ZDF
I am Timothy Glover, a professional journalist and content creator. I specialize in writing and editing for news websites, specifically covering politics. I have been working as an author at News Unrolled for the past five years and have built up a reputation for producing quality content that is both informative and engaging.
