“No to War!”: A Deeper Look at the Anti-Invasion Protests Inside Russia

By: Cassie Diamond

On February 24, 2022, the country of Ukraine would forever change when Russian forces launched a military invasion along Ukraine’s eastern border. This major escalation was a result of the already high tensions between Russia and Ukraine, especially following the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, and Ukraine’s attempts to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which Russia heavily disapproved of. Russian forces continue to march further into the country as Ukraine attempts to beat them back, while millions of Ukrainian citizens flee the country as refugees. However, as the invasion rages on, there is another storm of defiance brewing in the very country that started this invasion.

Thousands of Russians across the country have taken to the streets to protest the invasion of Ukraine by the government, with the largest demonstrations taking place in Moscow and St. Petersburg. One of the most prominent figures calling for these demonstrations is Alexei Navalny, a popular critic of the Russian government who was imprisoned for embezzlement after surviving a poisoning attempt on his life. Navalny’s team managed to spread the word online through social media, internet ads, and his own blog. His pleas for Russians to “take to the streets” and “let the whole world see that Putin is not Russia” did not fall on deaf ears, as many Russians have done just that (“Anti-war”). However, just as many have also incurred punishment for doing so.

The fact that so many people have taken part in these demonstrations is, in Russia of all places, quite impressive, given that the government has been known for having a shaky history with free speech. This is especially relevant now more than ever with many Russians using their voice to speak out against the horrible atrocities their government is committing. It seems, however, that the Kremlin didn’t take too kindly to this, as just as thousands of Russians protested in the streets, thousands more have also been arrested for exercising their right to free speech. As Russian citizen Zhargal Rinchinov described the situation, “Everyone is scared. They know if they say something bad they’ll be put in jail.” The Russian government has been especially stringent with how the invasion is being covered, as they continue to crack down on protests and censor independent media coverage (Parker). They have even gone so far as to refer to the invasion as a “special peacekeeping operation” in order to downplay their act of violence. In spite of this, many Russians still continue to fight on so that their voices are properly heard.

The question is, exactly how many Russians are against the invasion? While it’s true that many Russian citizens are protesting this horrible act, they could very well be a mere vocal minority among their country. A telephone survey conducted by various Russian research organizations found that about 58% of Russians support the invasion of Ukraine, while only 23% oppose it (Parker). (Note: the research organizations have asked to remain anonymous due to the tightening of censorship in Moscow, but the results were obtained and shared by U.S.-based polling expert Gary Langer). Another opinion poll carried out by the Russian Field research group that “polled 1,606 Russians of varying ages across the country” found that support for the invasion had “risen to more than 60%” (“Anti-war”). These numbers certainly seem discouraging, but, as the Russian Field researchers pointed out, “public opinion is fluid, and new laws which criminalize speaking out against the official narrative may have left their subjects not entirely truthful” (“Anti-war”). Additionally, the use of state propaganda by the Kremlin could have caused some Russians to be misled into believing that the invasion was justified due to its description as a “peacekeeping operation” and would be opposed to it if they knew the truth.

There are also other polls that paint a different picture of Russian views on the invasion of Ukraine. A poll by Navalny’s team asking about the views of 700 Moscow residents on the current invasion found that, between February 25 and March 3, “the number of those blaming the West for the war halved, while those blaming Russia more than doubled” (“Anti-war”). Additionally, the Levada Center, an independent polling research organization, found that only 45% of Russians were in favor of the invasion (“Thousands”). It’s also very possible that, as the invasion progresses, more Russians will begin to turn against Putin and his actions due to the growing economic sanctions on Russia by other countries and the increase in censorship by the government.

Seeing as the invasion of Ukraine is a currently ongoing and constantly evolving event, uncertainties remain about how exactly this conflict will end and to what extent it will affect relations with the countries involved. One thing remains clear, however. As long as the invasion continues, there will be Russians protesting in the streets chanting “No to war!” and refusing to let the actions of their government define the people of their country.

Works Cited:

“Anti-war protests intensify in Russia along with police crackdown.” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 10 Mar. 2022, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/10/anti-war-protests-intensify-in-russia-along-with-police-crackdown.

Parker, Claire. “58 Percent of Russians Support the Invasion of Ukraine, and 23 Percent Oppose It, New Poll Shows.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 9 Mar. 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/08/russia-public-opinion-ukraine-invasion/.

“Thousands join anti-war protests in Russia after Ukraine invasion.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 24 Feb. 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/24/we-dont-want-this-russians-react-to-the-ukraine-invasion.