>

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