Ukraine asks Russian mothers to ‘come fetch your captured sons’
- Kyiv claims to be holding dozens of Russian servicemen, and the invitation for their families to collect them appears to be a bid to embarrass Moscow
- For the first time, Russia’s defence ministry revealed its casualty figures in Ukraine, saying 498 of its soldiers have been killed
Ukraine on Wednesday invited the worried mothers of Russian troops captured on the battlefield to come and collect their sons, in an apparent attempt to embarrass Moscow.
“A decision has been taken to hand over captured Russian troops to their mothers if they come to collect them in Ukraine, in Kyiv,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
A week into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv claims to have captured dozens of Russian servicemen, and cellphone videos are circling online of bewildered and disarmed young men in uniform.
Kyiv has sought to undermine Russian public support for the invasion by opening a telephone hotline for Russian parents to find out if their sons are among the dead or captured.
The defence ministry has published telephone numbers and an email address to provide information about captured Russians, and mothers will be invited to Kyiv to collect their missing sons.
“You will be received and taken to Kyiv where your son will be returned to you,” the ministry statement said.
“Unlike Putin’s fascists, we Ukrainians are not waging war against mothers and their captured children.”
Ukraine women pick up arms as Russia invades
Meanwhile, Russia’s defence ministry on Wednesday revealed the country’s military casualties in Ukraine for the first time since the start of the invasion, saying 498 Russian troops have been killed and 1,597 more sustained wounds.
Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov rejected reports about “incalculable losses” of the Russians as “disinformation”.
Konashenkov also said that neither conscripts, nor cadets have been involved in the operation in Ukraine, dismissing media reports alleging otherwise.
Konashenkov also said more than 2,870 Ukrainian troops have been killed and some 3,700 more sustained injuries, while 572 others have been captured by the Russians. Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the claim and it could not be immediately verified.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
