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.
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.