Top Putin Propagandist Urges Russians to Embrace Death: ‘We’ll Go to Heaven’
Vladimir Solovyov’s bizarre tirade comes amid fears of a new military call-up—and after Ukraine said it killed hundreds of Russian draftees left like sitting ducks.

Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/AFP via Getty
As the bodies pile up from Russia’s war against Ukraine, Kremlin mouthpiece Vladimir Solovyov is urging Russians to welcome death.
“Life is highly overrated,” the propagandist said in his program on state-run TV on Monday. “Why be afraid of what is inevitable? Moreover, we’ll go to heaven. Death is the end of one earthly path and the beginning of another.”
He went on to question why people would let their fear of death “influence their decisions.”
“It’s only worth living for something you can die for, that’s the way it should be,” Solovyov told viewers from his warm TV studio.
«Жизнь сильно переоценена. Зачем бояться того, что неизбежно? Тем более, мы же в рай попадём!» — Соловьёв
— SVTV NEWS (@svtv_news) January 2, 2023
В эфире российского телевидения ведущий заявил, что россиянам не нужно бояться смерти, ведь она — часть жизни. pic.twitter.com/Lyi9QO2KcH
His comments came after Russian forces suffered one of their most devastating setbacks on the battlefield, with hundreds of newly drafted troops killed in a Ukrainian strike on a facility housing the fresh cannon fodder on New Year’s Day.
ADVERTISEMENT
While Ukrainian authorities estimated the deaths numbered about 400, Russia’s Defense Ministry has only confirmed 63 fatalities. The mass casualties set off an uproar in Russia, with lawmakers hilariously threatening to make Ukraine “answer for” killing Russian troops who had invaded their country to kill Ukrainian civilians.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The deaths also triggered a round of furious finger-pointing by pro-Kremlin military bloggers, many of whom accused top military brass of “negligence” for what they called the “tragedy in Makiivka.” Russian-backed authorities in the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, where the strike occurred, meanwhile blamed the Russian troops for giving away their locations by using their cellphones.
Nearly a year into the war, the Kremlin seems hell-bent on keeping it going at all costs—even if that means hundreds of thousands more will have to be summoned to face likely death on the battlefield in Ukraine.
An obscure group calling itself the “Soldiers’ Widows” seemed to appear out of nowhere this week to call on the Russian president to do just that.
In an open letter published on Telegram on Monday, the mysterious group urged Vladimir Putin to declare a general mobilization and block all military-age men from leaving the country.
“Now is not the time to get cold feet,” the group wrote, urging Putin to be more like Josef Stalin, who “didn’t think about any ratings or dissatisfaction of dissidents” in his quest for “victory.”
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
