Polling by several Russia-owned polling groups found that the public was largely in support of the Russian government as they invade Ukraine, despite large protests happening in major cities.
QUICK FACTS:
- Russian trust in Putin has reportedly surged since the invasion of Ukraine, according to a state-run poll reported on by The Daily Mail.
- The study claims support is up from 60% to 71%, as the public is told, according to anti-Putin politicos, “shameless lies” about the war.
- A second study indicated there was about a 50/50 split in major cities amongst citizens as to their support of the Russian president.
- Widow of a former Russian politician and mayor of St. Petersburg who made Putin his deputy, Lyudmila Narusova, 69, weighed in blasting Russia’s “propaganda.”
- Several of Russia’s primary news agencies including TASS and RIA Novosti – are wholly state-owned and the three largest television channels, Channel One, Russia One, and NTV, and two international television news agencies, RT and Sputnik, are at least partially owned by the government.
- According to the Daily Mail’s report, Russian channels have been instructed to call the invasion of Ukraine a “special operation” rather than an invasion.
- Anti-war protests have popped up in Eastern Europe as well as in Russia, where video has gotten out of police forefully breaking up protests in major cities.
- State-owned RT and Sputnik’s news channels have both been banned in Europe by Youtube and Facebook, Bloomberg reports.
THE CONFLICT’S IMPACT ON AMERICAN OPINIONS:
- A recent Gallup survey found that 78% of Americans say they are dissatisfied with the direction of the country and only 21% said they are satisfied.
- That poll was conducted before the actual invasion in Ukraine and before President Joe Biden’s so-called “weak, forgettable State of the Union” address, which, according to USA Today, won’t help his “abysmal” poll numbers.
- “His message on Russia was perfectly fine, calling for American resolve and solidarity behind the people of Ukraine. But there was nothing new, such as the idea that many Republicans are floating – banning all oil and gas imports from Russia,” USA Today’s analysis stated.
BACKGROUND:
- Putin’s invasion of Ukraine came after weeks of questions about troop movement, which at the time Russia insisted was routine.
- Russia argues the region it invaded is independent from Ukraine, and that it only invaded Ukraine because of neo-Nazi elements in the nation, as Business Insider outlined.
- The neo-Nazi presence in Ukraine’s military was highlighted by the that fact that the Ukrainian “Azov Batallion” were recently seen dipping their bullets in pig fat before using them against Muslim fighters who are allied with Russia.
- Vox noted how the Azov Battalion is in fact a neo-Nazi militia, and how the group played an important role in fighting against Russia in 2014.
- The Azov Batallion has since then been integrated into the Ukrainian national guard.
