Russian Soldier's Mom Begs Putin To End Ukraine War: 'Return My Son'

KEY POINTS

A Russian soldier's mother called for her country's war against Ukraine to stop during an anti-war protest in Moscow
She yearned for the safe return of her 22-year-old son, who was conscripted to fight in Ukraine
Around 14,000 Russian personnel have been lost in the ongoing war, according to Ukrainian authorities

The mother of a Russian soldier pleaded in front of a news camera for her country’s invasion of Ukraine to stop, so her son could safely return home.

"Please stop this bloodshed. Return my son! And return to other mothers their sons. Stop it!" the woman said in an interview with ABC journalist James Longman during an anti-war protest in central Moscow.

The woman claimed her 22-year-old son was conscripted in the Russian Army and moved to a "hot spot" despite being told he was going to drills.

"Look, he is just a boy. He is just a child. And he is fighting! What is it for?” the woman cried while showing a photo of her son on her smartphone.

You rarely hear from mothers of Russian soldiers. This lady came up to us at an anti-war protest in Moscow, desperate for the safety of her 22 yr old son. She told us there were only 10 men left in his regiment. If there are voices Putin fears, it’s these pic.twitter.com/CNAY3gK0uj
— James Longman (@JamesAALongman) March 17, 2022

The woman's son was allegedly still alive, but only ten men remained in his regiment.

Regiments in the Russian Armed Forces consisted of three to six battalions, each having 250 to 1,000 personnel; regiments do not exceed 2,000 people, according to the American nonprofit organization GlobalSecurity.org.

The woman Longman interviewed disappeared into the crowd as Russian police appeared behind her.

She spoke out despite the "massive security presence," as per Longman.

"So mothers of conscripts are now also potentially gonna be arrested for opposing this war," the journalist said.

Russia, which has reportedly committed more than 150,000 troops in its invasion of Ukraine, has suffered around 14,000 "combat losses" among its personnel since the war led by Russian President Vladimir Putin started on Feb. 24, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

A conservative estimate provided by intelligence officials in the United States put the figure of Russian fatalities at around 7,000, while the injured numbered between 14,000 and 21,000, The New York Times reported.

Despite Russian forces outgunning and outnumbering Ukrainian forces, Russia's advancement into its western neighbor has stalled on all fronts, the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense said, as per Reuters.

"Ukrainian resistance remains staunch and well-coordinated. The vast majority of Ukrainian territory, including all major cities, remains in Ukrainian hands," the ministry explained.

Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are ongoing, but no agreements have been reached thus far.

Both countries are currently exploring a 15-point proposal that would see Ukraine renouncing its ambitions to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and promising not to host foreign military bases or weaponry in exchange for protection from allies such as the U.S., U.K. and Turkey, a report by the Financial Times said.

While Ukraine has signaled it was willing to negotiate an end to the war, the country said it would not surrender or accept Russian ultimatums, according to another report by Reuters.