Russia, Ukrainian Sisters Who Lost Their Mother in Bombing Mobilized for 'Patriotic Event'

Russian Soldier Embraced with “Thank You for Saving Me” Scene
Ukrainians Say “Our Anger Is Boiling Inside”

On the eve of the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it was reported that young Ukrainian sisters, mobilized for a "patriotic concert," lost their mother to the Russian military.

According to reports by the British daily The Guardian and the Kyiv Independent on the 25th (local time), a concert titled "Glory to the Defenders of the Motherland" was held on the 22nd at a football stadium in Moscow, the capital of Russia.

At the event attended by tens of thousands of spectators and Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, a Russian soldier named Yuri Gagarin was introduced. It was explained that Gagarin rescued 367 local children in Mariupol, a southern coastal city occupied by Russia last year.

Anna Naumenko (15), who came on stage with her younger sister, expressed her gratitude to Gagarin, saying, "Thank you for saving my sister and many children," and hugged him.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Putin then said in his speech, "Russian soldiers are fighting heroically and bravely in Ukraine," adding, "The battle for our territory and people is ongoing."

However, The Guardian reported that Anna's mother died in a Russian airstrike in April last year. At the time, Anna's family was hiding in the basement of a cultural center and public buildings in Mariupol, but her mother went outside briefly and was caught in the bombing.

At that time, the Russian military bombarded Mariupol until it was reduced to ashes. They even launched missiles at a theater where children were taking shelter. Despite residents marking the theater with the Russian word for "children" (дети), the Russian forces completely destroyed it.

Neighbors who saw Anna and the children mobilized for the concert could not hide their anger. One neighbor said, "The children of Mariupol are not actors. I am boiling with rage and disgust at Russia's actions. It is disgusting."

Another neighbor said, "I saw a child named Kostia from the same village at the concert." He added, "Kostia's parents were not pro-Russian," and questioned, "It seems the children were brought to this show due to financial issues or other reasons."

The Guardian found Kostia's parents' social media accounts but was unable to make contact.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.