Men Flee Russia To Avoid Being Drafted Into Putin's War On Ukraine - Alex Wagner - MSNBC

[Kyesha]

9. What does the average Russian think?

It really depends. You think a Russian will blast Putin during a TV interview? He won't post anything on Facebook, either, because the FSB has been known to check in. I know people who have lost their jobs because they like or unlike a post. So publicly voicing your opinion leads to consequences, and it's not like they can pick up and move to LA to start a new life. Even your best friend could change his mind on things depending on company. I remember my Russian roommate talking about Stalin one day and he said the country needs a strong man like him (this was during the Yeltsin years). The next day he wondered why so many people long for a brutal dictator like Stalin.
So it's hard to get a read on people.