Overview

• Maria Andreyeva, the wife of a Russian soldier, made a public appeal for her husband's return from Ukraine at President Vladimir Putin's election headquarters, a rare act of dissent in a country where open criticism of the war is banned.
• Andreyeva's husband was mobilized in October 2022 to join the Russian campaign in Ukraine, and his absence has had a profound impact on their family, particularly their toddler daughter who is suffering from arrested speech development.
• Andreyeva's appeal is part of a growing movement of soldiers' wives, known as 'The Way Home', campaigning for their husbands' return from the front.
• Despite Putin's claim that Russia is in a strong position across the entire front line, there is growing frustration and despair among soldiers' families as the war continues with no end in sight.
• Andreyeva's public appeal and the growing movement of soldiers' wives represent a rare challenge to Putin's war in Ukraine, especially in the lead up to the presidential election in March.