Domestic Support Hardens Behind Putin’s War
People walk past a giant letter Z installed by Moscow’s authorities as the symbol of support for the military invasion of Ukraine.
Source: Getty Images
The absence of widespread public opposition in Russia to President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine often puzzles and appals outsiders. It’s one measure of his transformation of society that’s only intensifying.
Fear plays a part. Putin has unleashed the most intense repression in decades, jailing prominent opponents and forcing others to flee abroad. Even mild criticism provokes imprisonment in Russia, where it’s a crime to call the war a “war.”