Russian Ruling Party Faces Backlash for Gifting Meat Grinder to Mother of Soldier Killed in a Cannon Fodder Assault in Ukraine

Members of Russia's ruling party, United Russia, are facing intense backlash after a peculiar gesture involving a meat grinder was made to the mother of a soldier who lost his life in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. This unusual gift was part of an International Women’s Day initiative, which has left many scratching their heads.

The meat grinder, along with other household items and floral arrangements, was presented by Anna Makhunova, the secretary of United Russia's Murmansk local chapter, and Polyarnye Zori Mayor Maxim Chengayev. This was all part of a campaign dubbed “Flowers for the Mothers of Heroes,” as reported by the Moscow Times.

However, the post showcasing this initiative quickly drew ire from social media users, who deemed the gesture as deeply insensitive. Activist Violetta Grudina expressed her disbelief on Telegram, stating, “I will never believe that grief-stricken mothers asked United Russia for a meat grinder. They don’t need anything anymore.”

In light of the growing outrage, United Russia swiftly disabled comments on the post, attempting to quell the negative feedback. Shortly after, the party's Murmansk regional branch released a video featuring one of the mothers expressing gratitude for the meat grinder, claiming, “I wanted to buy [the meat grinder] for myself, but you gifted me one just in time.”

In a bid to mitigate the backlash, the party took to social media to urge the public “not to support inhumane and provocative interpretations” of their gifts. Chengayev further clarified that the campaign included various household appliances, stating, “The meat grinder was not part of the standard gift set, but one woman asked for it, and of course [party members] could not refuse her.”

Interestingly, meat grinders have taken on a symbolic meaning in the context of the Russian military's high-casualty operations during the three-year-long Ukraine war. The Wagner mercenary group had previously awarded “Bakhmut Meat Grinder” medals to its fighters, highlighting the grim reality of the ongoing conflict.