Free People

Look at these happy faces! This family in the Russian Republic of Tuva received a package of pelmeni from the government for the son they lost in Ukraine.

Pelmeni are the cheapest food in Russia. It’s not a delicacy. They are an equivalent of our Ramen noodles. The stuff you buy when you don’t want to cook and need something cheap. So the joy of the receiving family is hard to understand.

Even less clear is how these people who probably never heard of Ukraine explain to themselves why their son had to die. Or what the reason is behind the mask theater, especially in a family that has cavalierly disposed not only of the health but of the life of their son in exchange for a package of pelmeni. Did their son crawl in the mud near Bakhmut in a mask? Was he worried about COVID?

Most importantly, why did they agree to pose for the photo shoot? There are more pictures, and it’s clear that it took a while to film the whole thing. I mean, your son is already dead. The worst thing in the world already happened. Wouldn’t you want to go grieve instead of plastering a smile on your face and posing for photos some bureaucrat will use for an annual report?

These people are in no danger (including from COVID). They have freely chosen to participate both in the war and in this mockery of their own dead son.