Soldiers' widows group calls on Putin to order major mobilisation for Ukraine war

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a news conference after a meeting of the State Council on youth policy in Moscow, Russia, December 22, 2022. Sputnik/Sergey Guneev/Pool via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A little known patriotic group which supports the widows of Russian soldiers has called on President Vladimir Putin to order a large-scale mobilisation of millions of men and to close the borders to ensure victory in Ukraine.

Putin, Russia's 70-year-old paramount leader, is under intense pressure to deliver victory in Ukraine more than 10 months since he sent troops as part of an operation he says was intended to defend Russians in eastern Ukraine.