Many people know someone who spoke up, and was beaten, jailed, or in some cases no longer around.
I'm not sure of the situation in Moscow, I dont know anyone there. Just the cities I mentioned.
I'll take the words of the people I've talked to, some almost every week, over the past several years, since before, and during the invasion. People I've known for a while.
As for having more sympathy for those who lost their homes vs those who cant "buy a new apple" you are doing yourself a disservice with that level of facetiousness. But hey, you do you. I'll retain sympathy for people both in Ukraine and in Russia.
One of my friends in Yaketerinburg, their father is Russian, mother Ukrainian, they are heartbroken as a family by what is going on, and I suspect (here is my speculation) there are many families in that situation.
The idea "Most Russians bad" is nonsense.
but whatever
But as I said she's just one source I have followed.
The chance to do something was early in the war with the protests. If majority was against Putin they could have caused real issues because there are not enough policemen to stop a rally that has half of Moscow participating. Most people chose not to go.
I have more sympathy to Ukrainians who have lost their homes and belongings and have been displaced rather than Russians who can't buy a new Apple. They still aren't short of food there and no-one is bombing their homes.
shows how some of the opinions in the west are missing some nuance that the data of recent polls shows. It shows not only a trend down in support of the invasion, but also in the trust of state media. With a clear split amongst those over 50 and under 50, as would be expected.
there is the headline 73% support the invasion, of course, but once its examined closer things are not so clear cut.
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/how-strong-is-russian-public-support-for-the-invasion-of-ukraine-2/
I know people in Sochi, St Petersburg and Yaketerinburg, they are worried what might come after Putin, but they say there is very little support for him amongst them and the people they know, except when it comes to the older generation 55+. They resent having some of their freedoms curtailed, but there remains a clear and obvious fear of the state too.
Its a very small sample yes, but from 3 diverse cities, and I retain sympathy for the many innocent Russians who did not want this. And the sample is no smaller than one journalist who lived there for 20yrs is it?
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