April 06, 2022

A Question of Conviction


A Question of Conviction

“This is the state of someone who feels like a particle in the ocean. Someone else has decided everything for them. This learned passivity is our tragedy.”

– A political analyst regarding Russian support 

Five weeks since the start of Russia's invasion into Ukraine, the tide is turning for Russian public opinion: The New York Times has reported that public approval for the war has risen alongside President Putin's approval ratings.

Back in January Putin's rating was at 69%, and as of polls released this past week they have climbed to 83%. The official current approval rating for the war is at 81%. However, we should be cautious about polling during wartime. Dissenters may be less likely to voice their opinions. And considering the current climate in Russia, dissent could land you 15 years in prison.

Denis Volkov of independent polling agency The Levada Center reported that the group’s surveys revealed that even with the polls potentially having been influenced by the political climate, they do show that many Russians hold the belief that they must rally to their leader during a time of crisis.

While it is disheartening to hear that potentially 81% of Russians support the war, polls also show that the support is not enthusiastic. Of the Russians who support the war, 35% are barely paying attention to it. They are supporting it more out of reflex rather than out of real interest in the purpose behind it.

 

You Might Also Like

Good and Evil Revealed
  • March 28, 2022

Good and Evil Revealed

"This whole situation has clearly revealed good and evil." A powerful interview with Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov, whose Novaya Gazeta newspaper suspended publication today.
Refusing to Kill
  • April 01, 2022

Refusing to Kill

12 Russian soldiers were fired for refusing to fight in Ukraine. Now, they are trying to get their jobs back.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
December 01, 2008

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955