"The Motherland is never a stepmother": journalist Vladimir Solovyov on a man’s three mothers and the happiness of being born in Russia

In the "What Does the Motherland Begin With?" project, people whose voices are heard across the country give their answers to this deeply personal question. One of them is journalist, television and radio presenter, documentary filmmaker and author Vladimir Solovyov. He believes that one’s native land is like a mother who is loved no matter what, in sorrow and in joy.

"For me, the Motherland probably begins with my mother. The two are always very closely connected: the Motherland as a mother. My close friend, Hero of Russia and Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Krestovsky, put it beautifully when he received his Hero’s Star at the Kremlin. He said that a man has three mothers: the Motherland, the mother who gave birth to him and the mother who gave birth to his children," Vladimir Solovyov shared.

He added that the many different people born in the country are united by one thing: for them, the Motherland is truly a mother, never a stepmother: "We are a special people, representing many different nationalities and faiths. But we are united as the Russian people, for whom the Motherland is a mother, never a stepmother. A mother whom you love in sorrow and in joy. And it all probably begins with your first breath, with the realisation — as Generalissimo Suvorov said, 'I am Russian — what delight!' — and with this delight in belonging."

According to the journalist, people do not choose where they are born, but being born in Russia is a source of happiness that must be recognised and valued. This awareness embodies the very connection between generations, destinies and cultures that unites the country’s people.

The All-Russian project "What Does the Motherl and BeginWith?", aimed at strengthening the sense of unity with one’s country, is being implemented by the National Centre RUSSIA with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation. Everyone can share the origins of their love for the Motherland in a comment or video on the russia.ru website.