Six weeks have passed since the Russian military operation in Ukraine. As time goes on, the attitude of the Russian people towards this war is changing. That's what The New York Times says.
Russia's military operation in Ukraine began on February 24. More Russians now support President Vladimir Putin than at the beginning of the war. This picture has come up in the survey as well as in the interview.
The war in Ukraine is now being heavily publicized in the Russian media. Opinion polls and interviews show that many Russians, formerly opposed to the war, now support Putin's position on the Ukraine issue. They are now beginning to believe that the West is blocking Russia. In this situation, Russia had no choice but to invade Ukraine.But Russians who have openly opposed the war in Ukraine are now facing adversity. Many are leaving the country. Many are choosing to remain silent.
Russia's Levada poll recently published a poll. According to the poll, Putin now has 63 percent Russian support. But last January it was 69 percent. In other words, Putin's popularity has increased a lot.Sixty-one percent of those polled said they supported the war in Ukraine. They believe that the Russians in Ukraine need to be protected.
Analysts, however, warn that the West is imposing a series of sanctions on Russia over its attacks on Ukraine. As a result, Russia will face a severe economic crisis in the coming months. And then maybe the attitude of Russian citizens will change again.
Some observers have argued that the significance of the war is limited.Because, at this time, many Russians are afraid to express dissent. Under the country's new law, anyone who goes beyond the Kremlin's sentence could face up to 15 years in prison. Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average person.
Sergei Shaligin, a rights activist in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, bordering Ukraine, said two of his friends initially joined him in the pro-democracy movement. But now they are in the pro-war camp. They are sending him a Russian propaganda post on the messaging app Telegram. According to these posts, Ukrainian fascists are carrying out brutal killings.Shaligin said the dividing line is now being drawn like a civil war. He and other Russian observers said in an interview that they did not find most supporters of the ongoing war particularly enthusiastic.
Renowned Russian sociologist Sergei Belanovsky said, "I do not see spontaneity here. Rather, what I see here is apathy. '
According to the Levada poll, 81 percent of Russians support the war. However, the survey also found that 35 percent of Russians said they had no real interest in the matter. That is, according to the survey, a significant portion of Russian citizens are supporting the war without any interest.
But in Russia, government campaigns are being aimed at those who watch television. News and talk shows have been increased by reducing entertainment programs on state-controlled channels.On a recent Friday, the Kremlin-controlled Channel One aired a 15-hour news program. But before the start of the Russian campaign in Ukraine, the channel used to show a five-hour news-based program on Friday.
Last month, a new program called 'Antifac' started airing on Channel One. The purpose of this program is to determine the 'false information' spread by the westerners.In a telephone interview, Stanislav Brikov, a businessman in a Siberian town, said the war was a bad thing. But the United States has forced Russia to do so. So the Russians had nothing to do but express solidarity with the Russian armed forces. It would be a shame not to stand by the soldiers who are risking their lives to protect Russia's interests.
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