Why aren't more Russians protesting war in Ukraine? We asked an expert

[Uncle Joe]

24 January 2022, 4.16pm

(snip)

Until it starts? And what has been happening since 2014 in the Donbas? And the current situation, when Russian troops are gathering around Ukraine, both from the Donetsk region, and now from the Belarusian border. Does Russian society really not understand that war is not an abstraction?

It depends what part of society you’re talking about. Most of society, of course, does not accept this fact. Most people are generally accustomed to turning a blind eye to what is unpleasant for them. Although many understand that the separatist regions of Ukraine are financially supported by Russia, that tanks and rocket launchers get there from Russia. But in the minds of the majority, this is an acceptable trick. Moreover, the Kremlin constantly repeats that everyone does this, it’s a normal practice.

So the situation suits Russian society?

The majority in Russia are satisfied, a minority are not. But after all, almost every week the authorities introduce various restrictions, so that no one hears those who are not satisfied. Sociologists cannot even calculate how realistically satisfied or dissatisfied Russian society is with the situation and the threat of a possible war. Respondents either refuse to answer direct questions or give answers they heard from television.

(snip)

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/sergei-davidis-anti-war-movement-russia/

Good interview.

[gab13by13]

1. Last night they showed a small group

of Russian protesters who were arrested within minutes of their protest.

Most likely headed to Siberia.

[nycbos]

2. Also there is the matter of...

... opponents of Putin's regime being met with various "accidents."

[Uncle Joe]

3. Unfortunately, I could only post 4 paragraphs.

[PortTack]

4. It's really simple...they can't. Not only are they at risk but their families. Not just a quick

Death but imprisonment and torture of all kinds

[qazplm135]

5. combine disinformation

with a dictatorship.

[CloudWatcher]

6. Remember it's illegal to criticize Putin

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20190319/07324341822/terrified-internet-putin-signs-laws-making-it-illegal-to-criticize-government-leaders-online.shtml

Even if you avoid falling out of windows:

Websites that now spread "fake news" in Russia (defined as anything that criticizes Putin and his coalition of mobster oligarchs) now suddenly face fines of up to 1.5 million rubles ($22,900) for repeat offenses. Another companion law signed by Putin this week is equally problematic; it would update existing laws to make it a federal offense to insult the Russian government or political leaders. Repeat violators of that law face fines up to 300,000 rubles ($4,700) — and 15 days in jail:

[Igel]

7. It's easy to say "misinformation."

Add in "disinformation."

There's a steady stream of only reporting what's favorable for Moscow. Some of it shows up here. (For example, recently the lack of reporting on explosions in the LNR and DNR, and artillery shelling, was an issue--we heard from Ukraine, not from the Russian side. The OSCE report was clear: Most of the explosions, including artillery shelling, was DNR and LNR training exercises in violation of the accords Russia signed. There were Ukr violations, but they usually consisted of small arms fire--also "explosions", since the power in the bullets explodes. One explosion in Donetsk was unexplained. But in the context of Ukr violations and artillery shells exploding on DNR and LNR territory, well now, of course the thing in Donetsk was done by the Ukrainians. Note that one violation was something like 25 miles from the border. The press treated it as just another explosion in the context of Ukrainian violations. Ukraine doesn't have artillery that can fire a shell 25 miles.)

If you listen to or even read just the Putin-controlled media, the DNR and LNR are freedom-loving, liberty-loving democracies that respect human rights. Unlike the fascist Russophobe Zelens'kyy (who is Jewish and Russophone).

In this, there's little difference between now and 2014.

[RussBLib]

8. hard to imagine daily life in Russia

seems sort of like living behind the iron curtain