Vladimir Putin seemed to stray from reality today when he told Russians that “children are the greatest joy and happiness” when his ballistic missiles killed a nine-year-old girl and her mother in Kiev.
The dictator addressed his people on Children’s Day in both Russia and Ukraine.
The out-of-touch 70-year-old president — believed to have a secret young family with Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva that he has hidden from his people — pontificated, “What is it, to live for yourself?
‘What does it mean? Maybe it means enjoying yourself, enjoying life.
“But it seems those who say it don’t understand that children are the greatest joy and happiness.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed his people on Children’s Day in both Russia and Ukraine
He was speaking as a girl from Kiev was killed and thousands of children were evacuated from the Belgorod region, where anti-Putin partisans backed by Ukraine carried out intense shelling.
In harrowing photos, a grandmother collapsed in grief today after discovering that her daughter and granddaughter were killed in the strike in Ukraine’s capital, which left three dead.
Her agonizing screams and wails ripped through the dead silence of the city as she saw the charred bodies of her daughter and nine-year-old granddaughter lying on the floor before her.
The barrage of cruise missiles and ballistic missiles struck at 3 a.m. and ripped through homes, a kindergarten and a medical clinic in the Ukrainian capital, leaving a scene of utter devastation.
The strikes have been hitting the capital continuously for weeks.
Oddly enough, Putin also informed the Russians about his sleeping habits, as his war brought terror to both Ukrainians and his own people.
In harrowing photos, a grandmother collapsed in grief today after discovering that her daughter and granddaughter were killed in the Russian missile attack in Ukraine’s capital, which left three dead.
A family member sits next to the covered body of a 9-year-old girl near a health center damaged by a rocket attack in Kiev on Friday
“Of course I sleep, like all people,” he announced.
“Unlike some people, you know, I don’t try to give up sports, and that helps with my job.
“I sleep, well, generally maybe a little, six to seven hours, usually six.
“However, today I slept much less, it just happened.”
On Tuesday, it was believed he was also awakened by explosions from Ukrainian drones near his high-security official residence in the Moscow region.
His incongruous wanderings aired today came as videos showed the Russian city of Belgorod being hit by powerful explosions.
Previous repeated shelling of the bombed-out Russian border town of Shebekino led to mass evacuations for fear of losing control of a piece of territory in its final humiliation of the war.
The attacks gave Russians a taste of the horror that Putin has inflicted on Ukrainian towns and cities for more than 15 months.
It was the most intense day of attacks on Russian soil since the start of the war, deepening the failure of Putin’s war, which aimed to crumble Ukraine in less than a week.
A strike hit a plant of Monocrystal, in Shebekino.
Monocrystal is the world’s largest producer of artificial sapphires, which are used in the production of expensive glass for Apple smartwatches.
But the property was reportedly used by the Russian military.
The Russian Volunteer Corps claimed to be fighting on the outskirts of Shebekino.
The Free Russia Legion called on Russian soldiers to mutiny.
“It’s time to make the right decision,” they said in a statement.
“You are being sent to a criminal, predatory war – but you are not slaves.
“Putin’s regime gives you a choice: die in a foreign country, or endure cannibalistic prison sentences for refusing to become an occupier.
“We urge you to put aside this slave paradigm and move to the side of good.”
They are urged to “lay down their arms and make a decision – to no longer participate in this war and to endure hostilities in Ukrainian captivity in humane conditions, under the supervision of representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.” – or join Russian patriots “who are waging a war of liberation against the Putin regime.”
A video shows Russian district administration officials burning documents in the border town of Shebekino, fearing the settlement will be taken over by anti-Putin partisans backed by Ukraine.
Russians lined up for petrol to flee their own region amid real signs it could be under the control of Putin enemies and Ukrainians.
A student spoke of “fear and panic” in her devastated Russian border town of Shebekino, highlighting how Putin’s war has left residents in acute danger.
The frightened and desperate unnamed 18-year-old said in a video: “My family has no money and can’t travel outside the city.
Medics, holding the woman’s hands, slowly led her away from the horrific scene – her face etched with great grief and terror that her loved ones now lay dead on the floor
A view of a residential building damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid the Russian attack on Ukraine, in Kiev, on Thursday
In the photo: Russian border town of Shebekino on fire. Previous repeated shelling of Shebekino led to mass evacuations for fear of losing control of a piece of territory in its final humiliation of the war
“I have been caught shooting more than once.
“I’ve seen people run out of their houses, literally in their underwear into shelters, basements or [they] just fell to the ground and hid.
“I have seen mothers cover their children.
“I saw fear and panic in people’s eyes.
“It scares me to think that kids as young as seven know what…Grad shells are.
“This is literally destroying our children’s psyches.”
Residents have been rattled, she said, accusing Russian authorities of failing to provide security for citizens.
The engineering student begged, “I want to live like other cities in Russia.
Shebekino belongs to Russia…
“We’re asking for help.”
The student added: ‘We don’t know who will protect us, who will help us.
‘Why do we have to leave the city alone?
“Why do we have to leave the country where we were born?”