The mother of a Russian soldier: This is bleeding.

On February 24th, Russia's attack on Ukraine began. Vladimir Putin called the attack <x0 special military operation at Donbas”. Russian soldiers also lose their lives in this war. Often soldiers and family members do not know until the last minute where they are sent. Since the beginning of the war, a month ago, the Russian Defence Ministry has only reported twice on soldiers who fell into the war. According to these reports, 1351 Russian soldiers were killed in Ukraine by 25 March. But they may actually be 7,000 to 15,000, writes the newspaper “Washington Post” referring to senior NATO representatives. The Russian newspaper “comsomolskaja Pravda” announced on March 20th, referring to the Ministry of Defence that the number of those killed is 9,861, but removed the following day the article with the argument that it involved a hacker attack.

Russian soldier Yevgenij, with the rank of sergeant, lost his life in the early days of the war near Kiev, 26-year-old had never been involved in combat.

His mother, Natalya (changed name) lost her son, yet she justifies the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But, Natalya thinks this is a real war and not a „special operation”.

Deutsche Welle has decided to publish an interview with her to show the experience of a mother who has lost her son in the war Russia is waging with Ukraine.

The interview protagonist makes statements about the causes of war that are contrary to the current situation. However, the DW has decided to leave these statements in the text.

They are evidence of the long-term work of Russian state propaganda.

Deutsche Welle: Natalya, how are you feeling?

Natalya: It's too heavy, the pain is great. But I have nothing to do, no one can bring my son back to life.

How did Yevgenij become a temporary soldier?

Directly after he passed his exams in 2014, he went to the military. He became a specialist in a special intelligence unit, GRU. He was offered a contract back then. I managed somehow to dissuade him because the contract meant that he would go to war crises.

He then sought employment in the police and worked for a security service. But he didn't like the job, so he got the contract. They immediately accepted it, and we had only one evening to prepare for separation. Yevgenij served at the National Guard. He loved it and became the leader of the group. He was involved in distributing demonstrations in Moscow.

In 2017 she had a son. His wife knew him when he worked in security. She went with him to Moscow, where they married.

How did history begin with Ukraine?

It was the end of January, about the 25th and 26. My son called and said that he would go to Smolensk (a town west of Russia, about 50 miles [80 km] on the Belarus border) to maneuver. I said: „Are you lying to me? What are these maneuvers?

I looked up on the Internet and I found that there were maneuvers with Belarus, but they were done. I kept looking, because I wanted to know where we were having war. I never thought Ukraine. The next day I thought we were having a riot in Ukraine.

That means you were clear your son wasn't sent to maneuver?

Yeah. I told Yevgenij I wasn't stupid and I didn't believe he was going to Smolensk. I kept looking online and it became clear that he was going to Ukraine.

I certainly didn't want to stop him from going. I told her maybe she wouldn't come home. He's like: He had no clear idea where he was being sent. He was either brainwashed and made to believe that he was going to maneuver, or he knew where he was going, but he could not imagine that there would be bloodshed. Maybe no one thought of that, not even Putin himself.

Did you have contact later?

He left on February 13th. I joked about what Smolensk looked like and what was the food there. He laughed and told me everything was okay. For the last time, we spoke on February 24 when it all started. With what App of another soldier he told me: “Mama, war began.” I said: “My son, I'm watching him on TV.” He said: “Imagine, an entire company of our boys was killed at the border.” I wanted to know where he was and asked: Where are you?

I think he was somewhere nearby, because the flight to that airport could only be made by the border. I said, my son, be patient. ”

The answer was: I don't have time. Tell the woman everything's fine.” After this moment until March 8, we received no news.

How did you spend two weeks without knowing anything?

I had the phone with me all the time. All day, I watched TV and looked online. I thought I could see his face somewhere. Every day I went to church and lit a candle praying for it. But he had been killed before.

On February 24th, Yevgenij was in Hostomel. He has not been killed on February 27th, as reported on the death certificate, but was killed earlier, perhaps evening or night 24 by dawning on February 25.

Why do you think that?

On the Internet, I read that our soldiers received Hosttomel on February 24, where the boys were sent. They were shot by Kiev. The boys are under siege and no one has come to their aid. They've been shot and bombed all day. You have to imagine, an airport is an open field.

On February 25, our soldiers recovered from Hosttomel, and on February 26, Yevgenij was found. But the information was provided only on March 8th. About 1:30 p.m., we were called by his unit and told that the boy had fallen into a battle near Rostov (Rostove in Don, a town south of Russia about 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border) I almost lost my mind.

In the vicinity of Rostov in Don?

I don't know why they said that. Maybe because he was in the morgue of Rostov, and there was no verified information.

Have you talked to Yevgenij lately about Ukraine?

Actually, no.

You know why this war started?

I think if we hadn't bombed, Ukrainians would've bombed us. There was no other solution. But something unpredictable must have happened. With so many soldiers killed, the war cannot be stopped. War must continue until victory.

What do you think Russia wants in Ukraine? What did Yevgenij fight for?

My son fought for us, for Russia and the Russians. So we can call as we call, drink and eat like we're drinking and eating. He has not lost his life there, but he has lost his life for us, so that we can live long and happy, so that there will be no war on us, so that there will not be a bomb on us.

In Russia it is forbidden to call this conflict war. What do you think, is it war or „special operation”?

No, I don't think we're dealing with „special operation”. This is real war. I know I shouldn't be seen as such, but this is war. It's bleeding. / DW