>

But, I am le tired
This is Russia… the “widows’ group” is not an independent collection of normal people, like you would expect in the west. It was started just two months ago. They are just another soldier in the information war, preparing the population for martial law. >

This, along with Solovyov's recent comments, is just the opening in a PR campaign to get the Russian populace into a place where they can accept full mobilization and a move to a total war footing. >

Yes... Because misery loves company. >

This feels like a scripted thing so when they do call for the major mobilization it's not a shock >

The relatives of soldiers who criticised the government and war were banned from social media, so, yes, it's just the hardliners left who are allowed to speak freely.
It wouldn't surprise me if this was a plant group to pre-empt criticism from actual groups like it. >

Of course it is.
And it’s irresponsible of the journalists to just toss it out there word for word without context. >

If they provided context then everybody would complain about biased editorial policy.  Press is damned if they do and damned if they don’t. >

Then they should do it right and be damned in their integrity at least. >

Well said. >

So basically another round of mobilization is coming….
But this time the Russian government can officially say “see the people want it!”
PS this is how Russian internal propaganda works… >

Isn't it a wonderful coincidence that the "widows" are calling for a military just when Ukraine's Minister of Defense Reznikov said Russia will start a second wave of mobilization?
Or wait, maybe it's not about widows at all. >

No. It was ‘windows of Russia’. They have killed more Russians than Ukrainian soldiers ever will. >

Vista? >

Either Vista or 8.1, they both claimed plenty of lives >

Fear the BSOD! >

Blue Screen of Defenestration??? >

I guessing this particular group wasn't necessarily organically formed so much as assembled and told exactly what to say. >

Thanks to hypernormalisation, we'll never know for sure.
...but yes, that is exactly what this is. >

I have to say - and this isn't meant to be whataboutism in any way, just an observation - The NYE show reminds me a lot of the big award shows produced in the USA from '02-'06 when the War on Terror was in full swing, jingoism was at its height and dissent was inappropriate. The production values were better, but the desperation was much the same. >

That sounds like a stretch to me. Russia’s entire identity is now based this failure. Everyone is fake asf. They all look dead inside.
To quote a Leonard Cohen song; “everybody’s got this broken feeling, like their father or their dog just died.”
In 2002-2006, most Americans were partying using their home as an ATM machine to take out sub-prime loans to buy fancy cars and whatnot. The only guys that gave a shit were Michael Moore and the Dixie Chicks. >

This was echoed by the soldiers getting deployed. "America is not at war. The Marine Corps is at war. America is at the mall."
That's the big pitfall of an all-volunteer military. The military becomes a smaller and smaller self-selected professionalized caste of Americans, and the rest of the country barely even notices that a war is going on aside from the occasional embarrassment in the news. >

“I ain’t got no husband no more, so you don’t get one either” >

This reminds me of something I read about the Russian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"  The audience would intentionally pick wrong answers when asked.  Russians can't stand their fellows being happy. >

There is a saying in Russia, "Nothing warms you more than the sight of your cold neighbor" >

My father still has trauma from Soviet Union where he has to keep everything financial related a complete secret. He doesn't tell anyone he has a successful small business (not even acquitences)  or that nice car is his and not a rental etc. He assumes someone will ruin his fortunes out jealousy and greed. >

Human psychology. We tend to be our happiest when we've got someone to follow, someone to walk beside, and someone to walk on. The last part is something more progressive societies at least (in theory) try to prevent, but when the government walks on you with cleated shoes, then the easiest way to feel like you've got any control and power in your life at all is to find someone even less fortunate to grind into mud with your heel. In Russia, through all of its incarnations, but especially the Soviet days and modern Russia, the latter's incentivised. You're not going to rise up against your overlords when you're too busy being afraid of, or tormenting your next door neighbour, or even your own family. >

Ya, why not. Create a bigger widows group. Afterall, they're not the ones being sent to battle. Maybe they should be the ones mobilised! Join their husbands. >

Are they just running some weird/morbid pyramid scheme? >

Not 100% sure but I thought the widows got a payout? >

I think it depends if the remains are found, are intact and identifiable, and if the government can be arsed. Even then, I think the payout is probably something like a dishwasher and a bag of Brazil nuts. >

A dishwasher?   You are very generous. >

Don't forget, a cloth washes dishes so that counts! >

Lol, the dishwasher is actually an emaciated boy from Irkutsk that you have to feed, clothe and care for until adulthood, at which time he will be conscripted and deployed to the front. It's a double whammy for the government. >

*A group of actresses >

Sure seemed that way to me. >

That's how I'd do it if I were a raging maniac. >

Or a cunning ex KGB agent trying to gaslight a country. >

There is no widows group. it’s all bullshit to make It seem like Russians support putins war. It’s the equivalent of fake reviews on Amazon. Don’t buy it >

This is orchestrated PR. They're having the group that one would think would be the most opposed to mobilization be the most vocally supportive, so eventually they can throw their hands up and say, "Well... if it's what the people want..." >

This isn't necessarily a group of widows, it's "A little known patriotic group which supports the widows of Russian soldiers," according to the article. >

Propaganda by paid actors on behalf of Putin. >

"The coming war will require completely different resources: human, psychological, economic," she told Reuters. "Protecting the Motherland is a duty."
Here:s a thought, how about don't start unprovoked wars with peaceful neighboring countries. Seems like that's the best way to protect your "mother land" >

And Russia's like, "AHHHH MOTHERLAND!" >

"'Bout that time, eh chaps?"
... 
"Right-o."