A mass protest against the war was held in Kyiv by the wives and mothers of Ukrainian soldiers killed in action, according to a propaganda narrative carried by the Russian state media. In reality, a rally was held in the capital of Ukraine by the wives and mothers of the soldiers in captivity, who called on the president to organize a new exchange of prisoners.
NEWS: “On January 14th, in the center of Kyiv, a mass protest action called the “Widows' March” took place, “Ruskaia vesna” reports. The protest was attended by the wives, mothers, relatives and friends of the Ukrainian soldiers who were included in the list of missing or captive soldiers. In reality, most of these soldiers have died, but the officials do not notify the relatives in order not to pay social pensions and other allowances.
It should be noted that the Ukrainian press did not mention anything about this sad event - an obvious thing in a totalitarian state”.
NARRATIVE: Mothers and wives of Ukrainian soldiers killed in action protest the war.
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: The story is carried by a number of Russian news agencies, sometimes with the headline Ukrainian Widows’ Maidan or Widows ask Zelensky uncomfortable questions . The purpose of this narrative is to show the public opinion in Russia that Ukrainians are unhappy with a government that does not negotiate with Russia, while the number of military deaths is increasing. The Russian press writes that the “totalitarian regime” in Ukraine has banned journalists from writing about the protest.
In reality, a rally was held in Kyiv by mothers and wives of Ukrainian soldiers, who called on President Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiate a prisoner swap formula known as “all for all”. According to the arguments of the participants in the rally, this formula will allow the prisoners to return home in the shortest possible time. The event in Kyiv was covered by national TV stations , various newspapers and news agencies.
These mass actions have become traditional in Ukraine during the war, taking place in the summer and autumn of 2022. In October, the wives and mothers of those who fought at Azovstal plant demanded that all Russian prisoners be exchanged for Ukrainian ones. This is not a protest against the war or a request for Zelensky to surrender to the invaders, but a reminder to Ukrainian society, the authorities and the West that there are many Ukrainians whose fate is unknown.
The Russian media used footage and photos from these rallies to illustrate their propaganda theses about the Ukrainian people dreaming of peace, while politicians want to continue the war and get rich. Also, the narrative is used to convince the public opinion in Russia that the soldiers sent to Ukraine are successful on the battlefield, and as a result the number of widows is increasing in Ukrainian society.
Veridica has debunked a series of false narratives about the nature of the war in Ukraine. The Russian press wrote, for instance, that Zelensky killed more than 50 thousand women , mobilizing them in the army, and the EU states will ask Ukraine to surrender to Russia . Also, according to the Russian propaganda, US scholars support Putin’s ideas about Ukraine. The Russian press has also written that the NATO Secretary General suggested Kyiv should concede certain territories to Russia in the name of peace , while Ukraine is mobilizing one million soldiers, paying for the West’s loans with human lives.
Note: The webpage hosting the propaganda narrative appears to be compromised and, for security reasons, Veridica cannot send to it via a hyperlink.
