According to polls, Putin's support in Russia is high: Expert sees "deterrence, terror, intimidation"

Created: 06/12/2022, 19:45

By: Andreas Schmid

Vladimir Putin's support within the population seems there.

Even if there are doubts about how honest he is.

© Alexei Druzhinin/IMAGO

According to Russian polls, a majority of the population supports the Ukraine war.

Vladimir Putin has the formation of opinion under control.

Including “deterrence and terror”?

Moscow - How does the Russian population feel about the Ukraine war?

The Russian police suppressed protests at the beginning of the invasion of the neighboring country.

Polls on the Ukraine war are difficult to interpret.

Critics argue that respondents are not saying what they think, they are saying what the government wants to hear.

Yes to war for fear of reprisals?

Or is there more support for President Vladimir Putin than the West thought or hoped for?

Ukraine war: Polls show great support for Putin

According to Russian opinion polls conducted in May, a majority of the population still supports the "special operation," as the war is called in the Kremlin.

The Russian business medium RBC recently came to 55 percent approval in a survey.

The Russian government also speaks of a support of 70 to 80 percent.

The Levada Center, the only independent opinion research institute in Russia, came up with 77 percent in a survey at the end of May.

More than three quarters of the population would thus support the war.

The question remains: why?

The Ukraine War in Pictures - Destruction, Resistance and Hope

View photo gallery

System-Putin: "Deterrence and Terror" and people distant from politics

The Russian historian Katja Makhotina told Bayerischer Rundfunk that there was a great disaffection with politics in the country: "I would say that this system works so well because the majority of Russians are very depoliticized." The population is not politically interested.

Also because you don't want to have debates with people who think differently and tend to stay away from negative things.

"For the sake of peace," as Makhotina says.

The majority of the Russian population wants to continue their "comfortable consumer life and not be affected by the tribulations of the Russian mass crimes in Ukraine".

The Putin system benefits from this political inertia on the part of the Russians, which makes the government's opinion control measures possible in the first place.

“Even now it functions primarily through the authority and mechanisms of deterrence, terror, intimidation and repression.

But it can only work because people are involved.”

Putin has created an "atmosphere of absolute distrust from any source".

“One does not believe in information from the West.

But you don't believe your own propaganda either.

Everything is fake mush and in this fake mush it is impossible to take a position.”

also read

During NATO exercises in the Baltic Sea: Russia's fighter jets allegedly penetrate Swedish airspace

Urgent medical emergency for Putin?

"Nausea, weakness, dizziness" and a clear doctor's order

Russia: “There is practically no media freedom in the country anymore”

In Reporters Without Borders' press freedom rankings, Russia ranks 155th out of 180. Between Azerbaijan and Afghanistan.

With regard to the situation in the country, the non-governmental organization explains: "Since the large-scale attack on Ukraine in February 2022, there has been practically no media freedom in Russia, and the population receives information mainly from state-controlled television."

In addition, the organizations denounce attacks on journalists, including death.

"At least 37 media professionals have been murdered for their work since President Putin took office." Reports Without Borders has declared the Kremlin boss an "enemy of press freedom".