“Kids are dying,” I said. “Russian kids, younger than your grandson.”

“That’s war,” she said, flatly.

“If 50,000 die, will your opinion change?”

Vesti, Russia’s flagship news program, is full of bizarre claims. Maria isn’t educated and the news is slick. The deeper Russia is submerged in lies, the more Maria lashes out at those who speak the truth—even family. Maria’s older sister, Zhenya, lives in Ukraine.

“Maria, they are shooting us,” Zhenya recently told Maria. This is particularly shocking given that Zhenya’s deceased husband was a career Soviet military officer.

“They should,” Maria replied.