Public fatigue with the war against Ukraine is growing in Russia, and official propaganda is increasingly losing citizens’ trust.
Putin / © Associated Press
Even staunch supporters of Russian aggression against Ukraine are increasingly struggling to explain why the war continues, and Russian society has diminishing faith in the Kremlin’s official narratives.
This is reported by American journalist Simon Shuster in his author’s article for The Atlantic.
In the piece, the author analyzes in detail the role of Russian neo-Nazi Alexander Dugin, often referred to as “Putin’s brain.” For many years, he has sought to create an ideological basis for Russian expansion and the war against Ukraine. However, Dugin’s recent public appearances, according to the journalist, demonstrate his inability to offer a convincing explanation for the continuation of the war.
Specifically, during one recent interview, Dugin attempted to answer the question of what Russia should continue fighting for. Instead, he described the country’s future as a society returning to a rural way of life after a massive outflow of people from cities. According to him, large cities are destined to become ruins, and people will live in small, isolated communities.
As Shuster notes, such statements starkly contrast with the reality of the war and the expectations of most Russians. Meanwhile, an increasing number of Russian citizens are directly facing the consequences of the hostilities—from drone attacks on Russian cities to significant casualties at the front, the scale of which is becoming harder to conceal.
The journalist also quotes Russian opposition journalist Mikhail Zygar, who studies the sentiments of the Russian political elite. According to his assessment, the position of many influential figures in Russia has significantly shifted recently.
While previously the prevailing view among them was the necessity of achieving victory at any cost, now calls to end the war due to the lack of prospects for its successful continuation are increasingly heard.
“Everyone is extremely exhausted. There is no one left who wants the war to continue, except perhaps Putin and Dugin,” says Zygar.
According to Shuster, against the backdrop of Russia’s military setbacks, the popularity of state television is declining, while social media is gradually becoming the primary source of information for many Russians. It is on these platforms that discussions about the necessity of ending the war or revising the Kremlin’s policies are increasingly appearing.
Meanwhile, even Dugin himself has recently begun to openly express doubts about Russia’s future. At the end of May, he warned of the risk of defeat in the war.
“With the current elites, our chances not only of achieving victory but even of simply keeping the country whole are critically low,” he wrote in his post.
The journalist paid particular attention to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. While before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the forum was attended by leaders of major world powers, this year, among the heads of state were only the presidents of Uzbekistan and Tanzania.
In the author’s opinion, this has become further evidence of the Kremlin’s international isolation.
In conclusion, Shuster notes that over the years of the full-scale war, the Russian authorities have failed to clearly explain to their own citizens its goals and expected outcomes. Despite attempts by dictator Putin and Kremlin ideologues to conceal the public’s war fatigue, these sentiments are becoming increasingly noticeable.
Previously, it was reported that dictator Putin’s refusal of direct negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has resulted in a new reputational blow for the Kremlin.
We previously informed that the military command of the aggressor state, the Russian Federation, is not providing dictator Putin with accurate intelligence on the real situation on the battlefield.
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