Makes me highly skeptical of any reports that say most Russians accept, believe & support Kremlin story that it’s a humanitarian denazification operation in Ukraine. Under these circumstances we do not know Russian public opinion one way or the other.https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1500458582902460420 …
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0:18Show this thread -
This is not the behavior of a Kremlin and security apparatus that believes Russian public opinion is with them.
6 replies 33 retweets 251 likesShow this thread -
Replying to @PGourevitch
Exactly, I've been fairly skeptical that this war is *that* unpopular in Russia. But the actions of the state suggest they think it is.
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Replying to @joshtpm @PGourevitch
The fact that the recent wave of propaganda showing flag waving youth chanting Putin's name also often feature denunciation of the anti-war movement makes me think that Putin is in fact worried about the war is unpopular. Or at least has little buy-in from public.
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Replying to @HeerJeet @PGourevitch
I suspect part of the issue is that in a climate of intense repression the state doesn't really know public opinion either.
4 replies 5 retweets 55 likes
Jeet Heer Retweeted Jeet Heer
In a real sense, public opinion doesn't exist in an authoritarian regime, not like it does in a democracy. It's a black box. And Putin's paranoid so he'll fear the worst. Hence the crackdown and the goonish videos like this.https://twitter.com/HeerJeet/status/1500361732753080323 …
Jeet Heer added,
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