How the opinion of Russians has changed after 100 days of the war in Ukraine

Polls show that 3/4 of Russian citizens trust the news on TV and do not look for alternatives via VPN – the latter is only 5.5%.

Does the source of news influence the formation of public opinion, and how has the attitude of ordinary citizens towards the “special operation” of the Russian Federation in the neighboring country changed? According to the reviewer euronews Galina Polonskaya, society is less and less interested in the military topic:

“There are some changes in public opinion in Russia: fewer people are paying attention to the war, which in Russia is called a ‘special operation’, and fewer people are saying that they are worried about what is happening in Ukraine.”

A recent poll by the Levada Center Institute (a “foreign agent” in Russia) found that the majority of citizens still trust television the most as the most reliable source of information. It is almost completely controlled by the state, so it is not at all surprising that the majority of respondents (73%) consider the “special operation” a success.

However, there are many who are against the war and are trying to oppose it in some way. But protests are immediately suppressed: even nail polish (if it is yellow-blue) or shoes of the color of the Ukrainian flag can act as a reason for detention. Now the authorities are trying to block VPN services in order to exclude any information from the outside.

Many journalists, human rights activists, artists and entertainers were forced to leave because of their stance against this war. Activists talk about the feeling of constant repression, people are simply scared. Ordinary citizens of those who condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine whisper about it in the kitchen behind closed doors, as if they were back in the USSR.

Many of those who understand what is really happening in Ukraine do nothing. Firstly, they are afraid of reprisals, and secondly, they believe that they cannot change anything.

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