A number of recent polls from Russia provided good headlines and academic discussion about public mood inside the country. Some show President Vladimir Putin’s popularity to be sagging and opposition parties gaining traction ahead of State Duma elections. Similar data show that the percentage of Russians supporting the war is declining while support for negotiations to end the war is growing.
However, the polls and headlines are misleading. They tell us little about Russian public opinion, never mind what preoccupies the average person’s mind on a daily basis.
For starters, the Levada Center poll which showed a decline in support for the war also revealed that 18% aren’t following it at all while many others pay little attention. If accurate, that means half the country’s attention is firmly elsewhere.
That begs an obvious question nobody has thought to ask: if half of Russians aren't following the war, what are they focused on and talking about?
The upcoming State Duma elections aren’t the talk of any town, even though the internet shutdowns have been the talk of the dinner table. But again, it’s not that simple. Yes, there is growing discontentvisible online — with inflation, public services and Putin personally. United Russia’s popularity is also up there with toenail fungus.
