As the war in Ukraine drags on, the Russian government continues to send thousands of young men to fight and die.
However, those from the highest echelons of power remain conspicuously absent from the battlefield.
This discrepancy has sparked outrage, leading to demands for the elite to face the same dangers as ordinary soldiers.
Mothers and Wives Lead the Charge
The campaign, spearheaded by the relatives of mobilized soldiers, has gained significant traction.
According to the Moscow Times, a group called "Put Domoi," meaning "Road Home," is at the forefront of this movement.
Comprised mainly of mothers and wives of soldiers sent to Ukraine, these women are demanding that the sons of high-ranking officials and media personalities replace their loved ones at the front.
In a statement on Telegram, the group declared,
"We demand that our men be replaced by other quite specific men: the children and husbands of those who tell our citizens from their screens that war is good."
Targeting the Powerful
Typically, those sent to the frontlines are young men from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, far removed from the centers of power in Moscow.
Put Domoi's goal is to achieve a "complete demobilization" of these men and instead send members of the Kremlin elite to fight.
The group's list of suggested replacements includes the sons of Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, pro-Putin TV host Vladimir Solovyov, and former President Dmitry Medvedev.
"We can make a list long enough to replace every mobilized person," their statement claims.
A Quick End to Conflict?
Put Domoi argues that sending elite families to fight would quickly bring the war to an end.
"Something tells us that such a rotation would swiftly put an end to all hostilities," the group commented.
However, the Russian government has labeled the movement as "foreign agents," a common tactic used to discredit and suppress dissenting voices.
