Russian Radio Host Urges Soldiers To Die for the Motherland in Tearful Rant

Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov has invoked patriotism and condemned those who have left Russia since its invasion of Ukraine on his radio show, during which he appeared to express the full gamut of emotions.

Solovyov's intonation ranged from barely discernible whisper to full-throttled roar during a segment on his radio show Full Contact (Polniy Kontakt) in which he outlined the supposed threat that Russia faced.

Cracking a smile as he said how he was "proud of my friends who are fighting," the ally of Vladimir Putin described how he thought the current generation was softer than that of World War II, when soldiers voluntarily went to recruitment offices.

"First, the motherland said, 'Son, I need you,'" said Solovyov, who was moved to tears by this thought.

He then talked about the difficulties that Russia has faced in the war, which have included setbacks such as as its withdrawal from Kherson.

"This is war. They are killing us," he said.

"The motherland is in danger. There is no greater valor and happiness for a man than to give his life for the motherland for his comrades," he said. "I believe that many don't understand this, for them there is no better valor than to eat and drink until they get cirrhosis of the liver."

He then contrasted his own experience with those of other rich Russians, saying they would "croak…with small diamonds somewhere on a beautiful villa near Lake Como."

"But I made my choice and it's different," said Solovyov, as if highlighting the "sacrifices" he has made during the war.

He had a villa in Loveno Sopra Maneggio, one of three properties he owned in Italy that were seized by authorities following the imposition of sanctions on Putin and his allies.

He then castigated men who had left the country to avoid the draft

"You ran to Israel, to Georgia, to the Baltics, Armenia, anywhere. Did you run away from war? You ran away from your motherland. Don't you dare come back, you are servants of the Nazi regime," he said, referring to Moscow's claim that its war aim was to "de-Nazify" Ukraine.

"You're the vomit of the Russian earth. There is no place for you in my motherland, you don't deserve her," he added.

A clip of Solovyov's radio show was tweeted by Russia watcher Julia Davis, who wrote: "Feast your eyes on Vladimir Solovyov, the man of constant sorrow: he cries, he sighs, he lies.

"He encourages Russians to die for the motherland and praises himself for his 'choice' to give up his Italian villa (it was seized and he was sanctioned, so the choice was made for him)," she wrote.

Solovyov has made regular threats against Ukraine and the West on the television show he anchors but recently faced a rare moment of dissent from panelist Yaakov Kedmi, an Israeli politician and diplomat.

Kedmi described as "obscene" Solvyov's rhetoric to destroy Kyiv and wipe Kharkiv "off the face of the Earth."

"It's criminal to bomb peaceful cities," he said.