Photo: SOTAvision
The wives, sisters and mothers of men mobilised to fight in Ukraine have announced plans to stage a silent protest on Friday to highlight the human cost of a war they see as unjust and unwanted, independent news channel SOTAvision reported on Thursday.
Grassroots group The Way Home has called on citizens across the country to lay flowers at key war memorials at exactly noon local time as Russia marks Victory Day. Participants have been encouraged to wear white headscarves and carry flowers and portraits of their loved ones — not in celebration, but in mourning and protest.
The women of The Way Home have chosen two sites in Moscow for their protest: the Eternal Flame and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, both located by the Kremlin walls. The monuments, central to Russia’s Victory Day commemorations, serve as solemn tributes to the millions of Soviet soldiers who perished in World War II.
With the protest, The Way Home aims to honour past sacrifice while drawing a stark contrast with today’s war of aggression against Ukraine. According to the post, they hope their protest will convey the message: “We have not forgotten. … We are waiting for our men to return. We want peace.”
The partial mobilisation drive launched in September 2022 has torn families apart and prompted outrage across the country. Servicemen who have signed contracts with the Russian Defence Ministry to fight in Ukraine serve on an open-ended basis.
