Doesn’t this infuriate the families of the dead soldiers? Is Putin so powerful that the families are afraid to complain publicly?
“....Is Putin so powerful that the families are afraid to complain publicly?”
Without a doubt.
Yes, he’s that powerful. He shoots journalists, charges opposition leaders with corruption and jails them, he charges any opposition to him as being a gay conspiracy, and he blocks all real reporting. He may face more pressure, but his KGB soul will prevail unless more than the victims families act.
“Doesn’t this infuriate the families of the dead soldiers? Is Putin so powerful that the families are afraid to complain publicly?”
Not about this particular issue. The families DO find out they died and receive the ashes. Where, when and how they died is classified but the families accept that as part of national security.
I can 100% guarantee the same is done for highly classified missions in the USA when someone dies. Sometimes even to the point of keeping the body classified by cremating (to hide classified wounds, poisons, external DNA, etc).
Unequivocally YES!
They had the wife of the captured Spetsnaz Sergeant appear in Russian TV claiming that her husband was retired from the service. By now Russians have backpedaled their denial and admit that the captured men are indeed active GRU Spetsnaz. Public in Russia just doesn’t care that their TV is constantly caught lying.