Atlas of the Invisible

If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.”
George Orwell, 1984

At the start of Russia’s War on Ukraine, everyone tried to understand who was supporting the war, why, and in what proportion. Two years later, more and more Russians have been touched by the war, whether by being sent to the front, losing friends or loved ones, or feeling its impact because they live in border areas. At the same time, society is slowly becoming accustomed to and has adapted to the new military reality. Now experts, analysts, and the general public have a new question: to what extent are Russians feeling the impact of the war in their everyday lives?

If you imagine a Russian Rip van Winkle who fell asleep in an average Russian city in February 2022 and only woke up this summer, it might not be immediately obvious to him that his country was at war. You can walk the length and breadth of any Russian city today, and probably the only clues would be a few prowar symbols and the occasional advertisement for contract military service.