Russian citizens are divided over the military offensive in Ukraine that began in February

For some it is a “need”, for others a source of “sadness”. Six months after the start of the offensive against Ukraine, Russian citizens are divided, although they all hope that the conflict will end soon.

“I feel very sorry for the Ukrainians. They generally suffer, they did nothing wrong,” says Dmitry Romanenko, a 35-year-old IT specialist in Moscow.

President Vladimir Putin’s decision to send troops to Ukraine February 24 changed the lives of many Russians.

economic sanctions against Russia they led to the exit of major Western brands such as Nike or McDonald’s, the closure of numerous airlines and severe inflation.

In Moscow, some symbols of support for the offensive can be seen, such as “Z” stickers on the windows of some cars, referring to the letter painted on Russian tanks in Ukraine.

But in the heart of the Russian capital, whose residents are proportionately more liberal than those in the rest of the country, most people polled by AFP lament or criticize the invasion.

For Romanenko, the arrival of Russian troops in Ukraine it is synonymous with the beginning of economic problems. “All my activities, all my business is destroyed. I created startups, and my eight projects failed,” he laments.

“The whole world is suffering”

“Obviously things have changed. Everything costs more,” emphasizes Valentina Bialik, an 83-year-old retired art critic.

“But the most important thing is that we belong to a generation whose childhood was marked by war. And it is very sad that our old age is also marked by war,” he says.

“Even if we live far away from hostilities, we feel deep sorrow for the dead people, regardless of their nationality,” he says.

“What a great country (Russia) is now in isolation that the whole world hates this country (…) It is very bitter for us,” he adds.

“We shouldn’t fight each other, it’s wrong,” says Dmitry Nalivaiko, a 34-year-old waiter with a ribbon of color Russia attached to a strap on his backpack.

“Let the politicians oppose each other, not the people who suffer from all this. Everyone suffers from this,” he says.

But despite the outrage on the part of the population and the impact of economic sanctions, many Russians support Putin’s decision.

Last week, during a military forum near Moscow, many confirmed their support for the president Russiadressed in T-shirts with the letter “Z”.

“Everything will be OK”

Walking ahead of a line of tanks, 55-year-old nurse Olga Kosova believes the Russians have a “duty” to support pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas “even at the risk of their lives.”

For this reason, adds his 33-year-old son Volodymyr Kosov, “our commander-in-chief[Putin]was right” to send troops to confront the Ukrainian “nationalists,” one of the terms used by Russian television and representatives to refer to Kyiv. government.

“I think that sooner or later it was necessary. A terrible end is better than endless horror,” says Mikhail Nikitin, a 35-year-old computer scientist.

“In any case, sooner or later we will win, and then everything will work out,” he adds.

Despite the fact that it is difficult for Russian forces to move forward and the conflict has dragged on, supporters of the offensive have no doubt that it will end.

“In the end, our people will win, and between Russia D Ukraine (…), friendly countries,” said Nadezhda Zhosan, 35, manager of a cleaning company.

On vacation I went to Ukraine. But “after the start of the operation, the local friends called us Muscovites.” [un término peyorativo para referirse a los rusos] and we were told that we have no right to go there,” he complains.

“We hope that everything will be over soon. And everything will be fine,” he adds.

(According to AFP)



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