28 August 2026

What do you say to parents whose son has just been killed in Ukraine? In Russia, it is apparently: “Congratulations!”

While Vladimir Putin claims Russian troops must operate “carefully” to avoid casualties, the reality of his war is being exposed by the people left behind. The mayor of Sochi recently visited the parents of a Russian soldier killed in Ukraine to present them with a posthumous Order of Courage.

Meanwhile, families of Russian soldiers say they are left fighting for compensation, the return of remains, and details regarding their relatives’ deaths. Join Benjamin Lee on a new episode of Break The Fake to see what Putin’s “care for his troops” really looks like.