Instead of laughing, Russians are panicking at the merest hints of support for Ukraine on their soil. It is a sign of a greater ideological and psychological struggle that is happening below the surface in Russian society. Putins tremendous approval rating and various opinion polls on Ukraine have been cited as a sign that Russians are completely deluded, lulled into a state of complacency by triumphalist television programs, unable to grapple with the potential consequences of the conflict over Ukraine. Yet it has repeatedly been pointed out that reality is more complicated than that. Schooled by the years of the Stalinist Terror, modern Russians are extremely good at telling pollsters — and, by extension, the authorities — exactly what they want to hear. But more importantly, the anger at displays of Ukrainian flag colors is symptomatic of a deeper insecurity — both with regard to the present situation and Russias future.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 05:28:17 +0000