“Check where your son is. And if you have the slightest suspicion that he may be sent to war against Ukraine, act immediately,” said Zelensky, who said the soldiers in question would otherwise be at risk of being killed or taken prisoner of war. “Ukraine never wanted this terrible war. But it will defend itself as much as it needs to.”
On Wednesday, Russia acknowledged for the first time that conscripts are present in Ukraine and that a number of soldiers have been captured. Moscow had previously stated that only professional soldiers are active in the war it is waging in the neighboring country.
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The Kremlin announcement followed an increasing stream of social media posts from concerned Russian women seeking information about the fate of their offspring sent to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian government says it has captured dozens of soldiers since the start of the war. Earlier, Kiev invited mothers of imprisoned Russian soldiers to come and pick up their sons in Ukraine. The Ministry of Defense released telephone numbers and an email address where parents could request information.