A Russian soldier in Mariupol

So where were Marina'ssons?

"I got in the carand started searching. On the phone one of the commanders insisted that theywere on military exercises out in the fields. I said: 'I've driven round allthe fields near here where there had been exercises. They're not there. Pleasedon't lie to me.' He hung up."

"Once, out ofdesperation, I tried to drive into Ukraine. Of course, they didn't let methrough. There were check-points everywhere."

"Then the casualtiesstarted arriving. I got a call from someone telling me there were dead andwounded. I rushed to the military hospital."

Marina's sons were notthere, but she was shocked by what she saw.

"In the militaryhospital there wasn't enough medicine or bandages. Local residents suppliedeverything. The soldiers were cold and hungry. Local people with a big heartwere bringing food and drink to the hospital."

Eventually someone at hersons' military unit admitted that they were, indeed, in Ukraine.

"I was told theterrifying news: 'Your children have signed military contracts to beprofessional soldiers. They're taking part in the special military operation[in Ukraine]. They will return as heroes'."

"What on earth areyou talking about? They had no plans to sign a contract," was herresponse. "They've been in the army for three months. They've only held agun once. They've only been to a firing range once. Most of the time they'vebeen shovelling snow."

"I wrote to theprosecutor-general's office asking to investigate. I told them there was no waymy sons could have signed military contracts. I was certain. Other motherswrote, too. They all knew their children."

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Marina with her two sons - theirpicture has been cropped to disguise their identities

 Russia relies on conscription to boost troop numbers in the armed forces. Military service lasts12 months and, with some exceptions, is mandatory for Russian men aged between18 and 27.

 On 5 March President Putin announced that "only professional soldiers, officers and contract servicemen are taking part in the operation [in Ukraine]. There is not a single conscript there and we do not plan, we are not going to use them".

But just four days later the Russian defense ministry admitted, for the first time, that conscripts were among military personnel involved in the Russian offensive in Ukraine. The ministry claimed that "virtually all such servicemen have now been returned to Russia".

A Kremlin spokesman said the president had ordered the military prosecutor's office to investigate how conscripts had turned up in Ukraine.

Marina's official complaint was upheld. The Russian authorities confirmed that her sons had not signed military contracts. Both sons were returned to Russia.

"They allowed me to come and take my younger son home for the day," Marina says. "While I was driving to collect him, I called and asked him if there was anything he needed. 'Mum, I don't need anything,' he replied, 'just you'."

"When I saw him he looked a total mess. The lads that came back from there were so thin, dirty and exhausted. Their clothes were torn. My son said: 'It's better that you don't know what happened there.' But all that mattered to me was that he had comeback alive."

Marina is angry about what happened.

"They lied to my face," she told me. "First they lied that my sons weren't in Ukraine. Then they lied that they'd signed military contracts. Officers lied, sergeants lied. Later someone told me that they weren't allowed to tell me the truth. Incredible. They were allowed to break the law and send my sons [to Ukraine],but they weren't allowed to tell a mother where her children are."

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