Vladimir Putin just put out a message to mark International Women’s Day – but did not quite seem to understand the purpose of the annual occasion.
The Russian president’s video statement, released on Friday, urged women to focus on “the bearing of children”, “no matter what career path she chooses or what professional heights she attains”.
IWD was actually created to advocate for a “gender equal world” and to “celebrate women’s achievement” everywhere – not to focus solely on motherhood.
Putin’s words are especially interesting considering Russian women played an important role in the early days of IWD, according to the campaign’s official website.
Russian women’s campaign for peace on the eve of World War 1 back in 1914 influenced the decision to make March 8 the day to honour IWD.
In 1917, Russian women went on strike for “Bread and Peace” after millions of soldiers died in WW1 – their walkout lasted until the Tsar abdicated and women were granted the right to vote, meaning they played a pivotal part in Russia’s history.
But Putin’s message on Friday told women that their “greatest gift that nature has endowed you with [is] the bearing of children” – even more so than their “beauty, wisdom, and generosity” – according to the translation shared on the Kremlin’s official website.
He added: “Motherhood is a glorious mission for women.
“A difficult and critically important mission, but also a source of so much joy and happiness.
“Family remains the most important thing for any woman, no matter what career path she chooses or what professional heights she attains.”
He said raising children “is what matters most” for a woman, adding: “The family is the bond that has ensured continuity from generation to generation, and consideration and respect for women and motherhood are an integral part of our traditions.”
While the president did also acknowledge the women who are serving in the Ukraine war, this is not the first time Putin has called upon women to focus on childbirth.
In November, he suggested women should start having eight or more children to “preserve” the old traditions, saying increasing the population would be “our goal for the coming decades”.
It’s worth noting that the size of the Russian population is said to have suffered significantly since Putin ordered the Ukraine invasion.
Estimates range considerably, but according to the latest reports from the CIA, there have been 315,000 casualties in the Russian ranks since the war began two years ago.