Moscow, Dec 8 (EFE).- Russian President Vladimir Putin today presented in the Kremlin the title of “Hero of Russia” to ten soldiers who participated in the military campaign in Ukraine, with a message full of patriotism and allusions to the great history of Russia and its past victories.
“We bow to our ancestors, who created the great history of Russia full of victories, and we are proud of the soldiers, officers, volunteers, militiamen who are now fighting in a special military operation (…),” Putin said in reference to the Russian war campaign in Ukraine.
In a ceremony of the golden star in the St. George’s Hall of the Kremlin, the president said that these men “carry out combat missions with honor, protect the lives and dignity of our fellow citizens and defend our common right to determine our own destiny.”
Putin, who invited 200 soldiers and civilians to the event, also wanted to address the soldiers who are on the front line in Ukraine.
“For me, for all our fellow citizens, each of you is a hero. And I really want you to feel the warmth of our hearts, the warmth of this truly national support,” said Putin, who gave the order on February 24 to start a military campaign in Ukraine with the argument that he had to “liberate” the Donbas to protect citizens from an alleged “genocide.”
“When you talk about the motherland, you should never forget that it is not just a territory. They are people, in the first place, whom you protect: this is what the homeland is. We all understand it and we are all grateful to you and your comrades in arms for what you are doing for the motherland,” Putin said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has so far recognized the deaths of 5,937 men in the almost ten months of military intervention in Ukraine, a figure that Ukraine raises to 93,080 in its daily count of enemy casualties.
Ukraine, in turn, has admitted the death of between 10,000 and 13,000 soldiers since February.
The Russian military campaign has also caused more than 6,700 civilian deaths, including more than 400 children, according to the UN.
Putin also awarded the title of “Hero of Russia” the cosmonauts Ivan Vagner and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov.
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