Staff Writer

As Russia’s invasion enters its 6th day, questions about its impacts on ordinary Russians abound. This is especially since many Russians have close ties to Ukrainians, with many sharing bonds of kinship. Further, over 2000 people have so far been arrested in anti-war protests, which have occurred in over 50 Russian cities over the past week.

Moreover, the long-term impact is being speculated upon, especially as the war effort stalls, and as Putin becomes increasingly more dictatorial, going so far as to censor news outlets. In addition, the recent EU sanctions are likely to impact ordinary Russians, since the freezing of the country’s Central Bank reserves means that it can’t use hundreds of billions of dollars to mitigate the impact.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Arnav Choudhary, an EA World View contributor living in St Petersburg, argued that most sentiment was against the war, especially from younger Russians. He said, “A lot of the sentiment on the streets, and also even amongst international students is really against what’s going on…. new spreads like wildfire and there’s been some protests and people taking to city streets to spread their concern.” Choudhary argued that this opposition was both principled and consequential, especially as the sanctions begin to directly impact their lives.

Significantly, according to Choudhary, is the age divide in the country, with younger Russians being more opposed to Putin, while older citizens remain nostalgic over the Soviet Union and the sense of community it promoted. He said, “The generational gap is very important, especially here in Russia. So, for example, you have people in the late stage of their life or amidst the late stages of their lives believing that life during the Soviet Union was much better than what it is now due to the opportunity, the feeling of community, which is stronger than it is now. However, coming down the years until around the people of university and school ages and young adults,  these people subscribe to liberal democratic values.”

Choudhary also argued that the West should have done more, especially after the annexation of Crimea, and that greater sanctions should have been imposed on Russia.