EXPLAINED: What Do Russians Really Think About the War in Ukraine?

Various polls on how Russians perceive the war in Ukraine, conducted at the end of 2023, show a schizophrenic Russia that supports the war and peace negotiations simultaneously.

But the low enlistment number, coupled with the dislike for mobilization, might be an indicator of indifference towards the war – Russians might support the war, but they don’t want to sacrifice themselves for it.

Polls in Russia are notoriously non-representative due to the prevalence of political censorship. There is cause to take any polls coming from there with a grain of salt.

Bearing that in mind, the latest polls might hint at dissatisfaction with the war ahead of the Russian presidential election in March.

In this video we look at the poll numbers as well as the possible explanations and implications of the paradox of Russia’s attitude towards the war.