Why would you believe polling out of Russia? Seems folks have a lot of incentive to lie. I’m sure he has plenty of brain dead supporters, but we know how that goes.
They made some very clever polls about this in 2023. What they did was first interview a large number of people with four claims such as “homosexuality is an abomination.” The only thing the people had to tell was the number of claims they agree with. They could answer “0”, “1”, “2”, “3” or “4”. Nothing else.
Then they took a large number of other people, and did the same again, but this time with a fifth question: “I support the war in Ukraine”. They did not know about there having been that other poll with one question less. And again, the only kind of answer they could give was a number between zero and five.
By comparing the results of the two polls, they found out that 70 % of the people had chosen the “I support the war in Ukraine”, even though nobody answered anything else than one single digit.
At the same time, Levada had made a more traditional type of poll, resulting in 80 % saying they support the war. So, for Levada 20 out of 100 people told truthfully that they are against the war, 10 out of 100 lied that they support it, and the remaining 70 out of 100 told truthfully that they support the war.
…and then, I’ve met those anti-war Russians and asked the question “if that would end the war, should the Russia completely leave all parts of Ukraine, including Crimea”, and they basically exclusively say that it should not. So, they are anti-war, but with the condition that the war should end in a Russian victory of at least some sort. If there wouldn’t be any victory at all, then the war should not be ended. My experience is that less than one out of twenty “anti-war” Russians think that the Russia should end the war even without gaining any sort of victory.
None of the ones I’ve met liked him, but I’ve only met ones who fled Russia.
Why do you suppose Russians might support him in 2026? In the 2000s/2010s, its understandable given how bad the 90s were, but now living standards are getting worse again.
Because I’ve been close friends with Russians who left Russia as adults and they absolutely love Putin for “standing up” to the west. Whatever that means.
And polls repeatedly show 90% of Russians support him. For “standing up” to the west.
Why would I doubt polls and the evidence of my own eyes and the sincerely held beliefs of people I’ve talked to?
they absolutely love Putin for “standing up” to the west. Whatever that means.
Before Putin took power, the west’s guy, Yeltsin, was in power, selling the copper from the walls. People remember conditions going from slightly behind the west to a third world country being ravaged by famine, alcoholism overnight as soviet industry was eviscerated by Russia’s new national bourgeois, working with the west.
While Putin was one of those oligarchs, people saw him slow the bleeding by stopping the very worst excesses; standing up to the west.
Yes. 90% of Russians approve of Putin. I don’t doubt they all voted for him.
All those famously free elections in Russia.
Why would you believe polling out of Russia? Seems folks have a lot of incentive to lie. I’m sure he has plenty of brain dead supporters, but we know how that goes.
They made some very clever polls about this in 2023. What they did was first interview a large number of people with four claims such as “homosexuality is an abomination.” The only thing the people had to tell was the number of claims they agree with. They could answer “0”, “1”, “2”, “3” or “4”. Nothing else.
Then they took a large number of other people, and did the same again, but this time with a fifth question: “I support the war in Ukraine”. They did not know about there having been that other poll with one question less. And again, the only kind of answer they could give was a number between zero and five.
By comparing the results of the two polls, they found out that 70 % of the people had chosen the “I support the war in Ukraine”, even though nobody answered anything else than one single digit. At the same time, Levada had made a more traditional type of poll, resulting in 80 % saying they support the war. So, for Levada 20 out of 100 people told truthfully that they are against the war, 10 out of 100 lied that they support it, and the remaining 70 out of 100 told truthfully that they support the war.
…and then, I’ve met those anti-war Russians and asked the question “if that would end the war, should the Russia completely leave all parts of Ukraine, including Crimea”, and they basically exclusively say that it should not. So, they are anti-war, but with the condition that the war should end in a Russian victory of at least some sort. If there wouldn’t be any victory at all, then the war should not be ended. My experience is that less than one out of twenty “anti-war” Russians think that the Russia should end the war even without gaining any sort of victory.
None of the ones I’ve met liked him, but I’ve only met ones who fled Russia.
Why do you suppose Russians might support him in 2026? In the 2000s/2010s, its understandable given how bad the 90s were, but now living standards are getting worse again.
Because I’ve been close friends with Russians who left Russia as adults and they absolutely love Putin for “standing up” to the west. Whatever that means.
And polls repeatedly show 90% of Russians support him. For “standing up” to the west.
Why would I doubt polls and the evidence of my own eyes and the sincerely held beliefs of people I’ve talked to?
Before Putin took power, the west’s guy, Yeltsin, was in power, selling the copper from the walls. People remember conditions going from slightly behind the west to a third world country being ravaged by famine, alcoholism overnight as soviet industry was eviscerated by Russia’s new national bourgeois, working with the west.
While Putin was one of those oligarchs, people saw him slow the bleeding by stopping the very worst excesses; standing up to the west.
But that was 25 years ago.
I met a Russian in China. Said his opinion: Ukraine should be part of Russia. Strong, fit, young lad.
He’s still in China enjoying the good life.
Yes, people tend to support fucked up regimes in their home countries if they don’t have to suffer the consequences.
And yet, the regime has stronger support in the Russia than it has abroad. As absurd as that is.
Just ask any Russian who lives outside the Russia and have visited their relatives in the Russia since 2022.
Urumqi? I met quite a few Russians there.