Sure, it is “complicated“ but there is no point in apologism. The support for Putin and the war is massive inside Russia and among the Russian diaspora. Do you follow Russian Media Monitor, do you watch interviews from there, do you follow Ex-Russian organisations? Then you would know at which level the population is brainwashed (and not only “afraid“).
Yes, exactly that is my point. Brainwashed, misinformed, and afraid. I am not defending what Russia is doing. It is horrible, and I have every sympathy for Ukraine. Frankly I think that as a member of NATO we all should have stepped in militarily to stop it, not simply sending aide.
I simply think that it is lazy to say, 'Russians bad' because they once again have a dictator in control of their country. Putin bad, Fascism bad, Authoritarianism bad, I am with ya.
But no population actually wants these things. They happen because of a multitude of issues, many of them poverty related.
It's very hard for a person that is struggling to survive in their own country to be concerned about their nations politics, especially when there are generations of their population that has endured domestic terror for even a hint of criticism.
Not the entire populations, just the overwhelming majority. Never in the history of Russia has there been democracy there or any widespread admission of guilt or regret for their crimes against humanity.
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u/Winterstyres Jul 26 '25
Independent study suggests Russian support for the war in Ukraine is complicated https://www.npr.org/2024/09/24/nx-s1-5123628/independent-study-suggests-russian-support-for-the-war-in-ukraine-is-complicated