Between solidarity with Ukraine and belief in Putin: How the war divides the Russians

Created: 02/25/2022, 21:00

By: Theresa Kuchler

Despite the ban on demonstrations, thousands of people took to the streets in Russia to protest the invasion.

The photo was taken in Moscow.

© KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV

Contrasting picture in Russia: numerous protests are evidence of solidarity with the attacked neighboring country - at the same time, the majority of citizens are behind Putin.

Moscow - The solidarity is great.

All over the world people are taking to the streets to protest against the Russian attack on Ukraine, against a war in Europe and for peace.

Also in Russia*.

In Moscow, about 1,000 people in the central Pushkin Square shouted "No to the war!";

all in all, the civil rights portal Owd-Info registered anti-war demonstrations in 44 Russian cities.

Despite the ban on demonstrations and the threat of harsh penalties.

The Kremlin does not tolerate the violations: According to civil rights activists, more than 1,700 people have already been arrested during the protests.

More than 1700 arrests: anti-war demonstrations are broken up in Russian cities

Russian citizens are feeling the scale of the escalation their government has caused, especially in economic terms.

Prices on the Moscow stock exchange collapsed by almost half on Thursday, and the national currency, the ruble, fell to a record low.

In Russia, however, you don't meet anxious people or long queues in front of supermarkets.

"Public life in Moscow hasn't changed so far," says Jan Dresel, head of the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Moscow.

“There are isolated protest actions on the streets.

Otherwise, everyday life here goes on as normal.”

Sign of solidarity: The Brandenburg Gate in the colors of Ukraine.

© Paul Zinken

The Russian population feels the economic consequences of the war

Still, there is uncertainty.

In Russia, too, people are asking themselves: What's next now that the whole of Ukraine is under fire?

Very few probably expected an attack on the whole country.

"That surprised a lot of people," says Dresel.

The mood in the country was already tense before the attack.

"The situation was unsatisfactory for many," says Dresel.

After all, war has been raging in eastern Ukraine for years.

“People wanted a solution there.”

A generational question: Many older people support Putin's actions

Now Putin's unexpected actions are dividing the opinion of his citizens.

"A large part of the Russian population follows the narratives propagated by the state media," says Dresel.

Above all, the older people who were still socialized in the days of the Soviet Union would believe the stories of a necessary denazification and disarmament of Ukraine - and support Putin's actions.

A recording from Friday: Putin shortly before a video conference.

© ALEXEY NIKOLSKY

"The younger part of the population has a different attitude," says Dresel.

Instead of standing behind the image of "national strength", young Russians would above all want more prosperity and economic development in the country.

As a result of the invasion of Ukraine, many now fear the opposite: a further deterioration in their economic situation.

According to Dresel, citizens have felt this since the war in the Donbas: "The standard of living in Russia has not really improved in the past eight years."

How the mood develops remains to be seen.

"Many Russians have to get their bearings first," says Dresel.

So it could be that many support the war and feel strengthened in their national consciousness.

"Or the opinion will dominate that an attack on the entire Ukraine is difficult in the long term - also economically."