But for many Russians, defeat in the war in Ukraine is unthinkable.
Most Russians, especially the older generation and the working class, believe in state propaganda that fills their TV screens with images of seemingly unstoppable columns of Russian tanks advancing into Ukrainian villages and brutal talk shows portraying the conflict as a new chapter in its history. . † The country’s struggle against Nazism.
Even among educated and younger Russians, fears of economic and military failure have not yet crystallized into a sense of national catastrophe, said half a dozen residents of Russia’s capital Moscow and the Siberian province. They spoke on condition of anonymity due to laws accusing the war of any criticism or using the term to describe what their country is doing in Ukraine.
Western and Ukrainian officials say thousands of Russian soldiers have already been killed in the conflict. But victim accounts are heavily censored by the state and target working-class families, preventing local tragedies from coordinating with national mourning.
According to respondents, the Russian government’s ability to protect the population from the worst effects of draconian economic sanctions is another key reason why vague unrest has not turned into panic or continued protest.
Prices are steadily rising, but despite the fact that many western companies have left Russia, the basic products remain sufficient. Government-imposed exchange controls have artificially strengthened the ruble, creating a sense of stability even as Russia moves toward economic isolation.
The longer the war lasts, the stronger the ruble, said a small businessman in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, implying that the Central Bank of Russia has taken emergency measures to allow the ruble to earn foreign exchange.
Much of European airspace is closed to Russian planes and Russian banks are cut off from western payment systems. But after the initial calm, wealthier Russians found ways to resume vacations in popular destinations like France and Italy, bringing with them a distinct sense of normalcy.
And even some Russians who say they initially opposed the invasion are now saying that their country has no choice but to keep fighting until victory, even if that increases the risk of nuclear war.
Many Russians believe the war is no longer against Ukraine but has turned into a puppet conflict with the United States and NATO, which they say are using the conflict to destroy their nation.
Encouraged by Western support and successful counter-attacks, Ukrainian authorities are increasingly calling for the expulsion of Russian troops from all over Ukraine, including Crimea, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014 and is considered by most Russians to be an integral part of your state. . At the same time, NATO is poised to expand its borders with Russia, following Finland’s decision to join the Western military alliance.
This allowed the Kremlin to propagate the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine as a defensive war to save the Russian state, an emotional issue in a nation that has prided itself on working together to fend off foreign aggressors for centuries.
If Russia is cornered, it will always fight, said other Novosibirsk residents who opposed the invasion.
Source: La Neta Neta
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