Russians who support the Ukraine invasion aren’t always ‘brainwashed’ by propaganda

The war between Ukraine and Russia is not just a clash of arms, but a clash of historical narratives and national myths, writes Mary Dejevsky

None of this means that Russians and Westerners cannot find a common language in other areas (Reuters)

Since Russia’s invasion began almost one year ago, the Ukraine war has rarely been out of the news anywhere in the Western world. But one dimension has been largely absent. What Russia thinks – as opposed to what we think about Russia – has featured at best as a very minor strand.

Now, I recognise that “what Russia thinks” is a generalisation that conflates leaders and people, and disregards many other distinctions. Nor do I wish in any way to diminish the bravery of those Russians who have spoken out against the war. But the fact is that there has been no mass anti-war movement.

I also recognise that there are reasons, big and small, why “what Russia thinks” has commanded so relatively little coverage abroad. Travel, business and media connections with Russia were largely cut off at the start of the war. It is not easy to divine what Russians think because of censorship and suppression of contrary opinion inside Russia.