Families of missing soldiers desperate for answers in Kursk conflict

In the Kursk region attacked by Ukrainians, many conscripts were stationed. Some died, and others were taken prisoner. Families do not know what is happening to their loved ones because the army does not inform them. "They respond to us: 'What nonsense are you talking about? They are not there; they just took their phones.' They generally take us for fools," says one of the mothers.

Journalists from the Wiorstka portal reached out to relatives of several soldiers and conscripts who were stationed near the city of Sudzha, where fighting with the Armed Forces of Ukraine is currently taking place. Many of them are missing.

Journalists describe, among other things, the story of Svetlana's son, who wrote to her on the evening of August 6 that he was "going for supplies" and many conscripts were already wounded. After that, the man no longer contacted her.

A similar story happened to Yevgenia's nephew, who last contacted her on the afternoon of August 7. Earlier, he let her know that he was alive and had not been captured, but many conscripts had been "captured."

Kseniya from Orenburg has a 20-year-old son. She told Wiorstka that the army intended to send him and several other conscripts to the Russian-Ukrainian border for "detention."

"And it’s even worse there. Everything is already messed up, and now they want to send us there, too," said the conscript.

He was eventually evacuated, but earlier, he was hit in the hand, resulting in hospitalization.

One mother recalls that her son last messaged her late on August 5. He couldn’t provide specific details but mentioned that they regularly shoot at "birds," as they called the reconnaissance drones of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Many conscripts were waiting for evacuation and a move to quieter regions. However, their loved ones lost contact with them and did not know what was happening. They only receive information that many soldiers have been taken as Ukrainian prisoners.

"We can't get through to Moscow, and the registration and conscription offices respond to us: 'What nonsense are you talking about? They are not there; they just took their phones.' They generally take us for fools. They don’t give us any information at the Kursk hospital, saying they don't have time and that there are many wounded," says one of the mothers.

According to Wiorstka, the relatives of 52 missing conscripts are jointly trying to find out what is happening to their loved ones.