Deluded tyrant Vladimir Putin says the 'whole country' is proud of the Russian invading forces in a video released by the Kremlin.
This is despite thousands of arrests of anti-war protesters across the country and a crackdown on the independent press in the country.
In his speech, translated to English, Putin starts by "underlining" that "conscript soldiers are not and will not be involved in combat operations".
"Nor will there be the additional mobilisation of reserves," he said.
"The set goals will be achieved only by professional soldiers."
"I am confident that they will reliably ensure security and peace for the Russian people.
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Putin goes on to address the "mothers, wives and sisters, brides and girlfriends" of the Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
"You can be proud of them," he said.
"Just as the whole country is proud and feels for them."
Since the invasion on February 24 there have been more than 10,000 arrests of anti-war protesters across Russia.
There's also been a crackdown on the free press and new laws effectively making it illegal to call the invasion a war.
The president's bizarre speech comes amid reports of two children having been among 21 civilians killed in the 'barbaric' overnight shelling of the Ukraine city of Sumy.
Footage taken at the scene of the shelling shows the devastating aftermath of the attack, with small bodies being pulled from the rubble and blood-splattered rocks.
One of a team of men working to excavate the bodies is seen gently lying a blanket over the face of an unmoving body, before moving away to help elsewhere.
A video of the scene, too graphic for the Mirror to show, was shared to Twitter by Ukraine’s Ambassador to Austria, Olexander Scherba, who described it as the “Barbaric bombardment” of a residential area in Sumy on Monday night.
“18 dead civilians. Many children,” he wrote.
Ukraine's defence ministry has called the attack a 'crime against humanity'.
Meanwhile, the United Nations appears to be making efforts to placate Russia, which sits on the UN's security council and has started a war with Ukraine.
The organisation has banned its staff from referring to the situation in Ukraine as a “war” or “invasion”, it has been reported.
Staff have been told to instead refer to the invasion as a "conflict" or "military offensive".
“Some specific examples of language to use/not use at the moment,” an email sent to staff on Monday read, the Irish Times reported.
“[Use] ‘conflict’ or ‘military offensive’ and NOT ‘war’ or ‘invasion’ when referring to the situation in Ukraine.
“Do NOT add the Ukrainian flag to personal or official social media accounts or websites."
