The wives of Russians recalled to fight in Ukraine mobilized with a symbolic protest: they laid red flowers at the flame of the unknown soldier under the walls of the Kremlin to ask for the return of their husbands from the front. An initiative which, they announce, will be repeated every Saturday.

Anger is growing among them over reservists sent to fight on Vladimir Putin's orders in September 2022, a sensitive topic for authorities who have so far been careful not to repress what could become an uprising movement.

Today there were about fifteen of them: they braved the cold and - says AFP - they placed red flowers on an important symbolic place in the heart of Moscow. «We want to draw the attention of the authorities and the public to our appeal. We tried different means. We launched a written appeal to deputies, officials, administrations, but we were not listened to", said Maria, 47 years old. Her husband was mobilized in November 2022, more than a year ago: «It's not right. They are civilians, they are not soldiers, they cannot stay there for that long," he told France Press. The police did not interfere even though in Russia every start of protest is usually repressed, a sign that the issue is sensitive for the Kremlin.

Paulina, mother of a one-year-old child, underlines that their action is «the only peaceful action that has not yet been prohibited by law: I have the impression that we disturb them. But no one will remain silent. We will go out every day, every Saturday, we will lay flowers" to attract attention, he continues. The activism of the women of the mobilized soldiers - almost 250 thousand of those at the front according to the latest data provided by Putin - has been largely ignored by the Russian state media, while the Kremlin wishes to show an image of unity around the president also in view of the upcoming March elections.

(Unioneonline)