“Discussing the findings, the Insitute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Friday the Kremlin was ‘likely concerned’ about how changing attitudes towards the war could affect the 2024 Russian presidential election.”
Like, how they’ll have to work marginally harder to rig it?
Putin is most concerned with the perception of his power. Having a significant percentage of the Russian people angry with him over the war in Ukraine increases the chance of disruptions that will weaken his apparent legitimacy
They will need to win with 130% of the votes instead of 120%, the opposition will have the other 15% of course
I thought they had this thing where elections weren’t necessary as they already knew the results.
Probably not, it’s not like they’re actively convincing people they need to vote a particular way.
Oh no, the war is now affecting me directly.
This poll’s results are scary to Putin not because it shows decreasing support for the war, but because it shows decreasing effect of his intimidation campaigns.
I don’t think he is under any illusions that people support his war at the moment (though he thinks they’ll love him for it in 10 years when they’ve “won”). But if people are not as afraid of his police state and actually willing to say that out loud, that’s the beginning of the end for him. Fear-induced silence has exponentially less effect the more people refuse to be afraid.
