Recent polls and public reactions to well-known names in Russia show that the vast majority disagree with President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.
"I am ashamed of my country. To be honest with you, I'm speechless. War is always scary. "We do not want that," Nikita Golubev, a 30-year-old teacher, told the Guardian. "Why are we doing this?" he added, expressing a sense of anger and despair.
On Tuesday, Yuri Dudt, one of the most prominent figures in the Russian media, said he "did not vote for this regime" and the need for an empire and felt ashamed, in a post that received almost a million likes in 24 hours.
A poll by the Levada Independent Center, published on Thursday, showed that only 45% of Russians were in favor of recognition by Russia of the two self-proclaimed republics in Donbas, a decision that preceded the dramatic events of Thursday morning.
"I did not think Putin would be ready to go all the way," he said. How can we bomb Ukraine? "Our countries have their differences, but this is not the way to resolve them," said Muscovite Ksenia.
Russia's cultural and sports elite, usually strongly behind Putin and often summoned by the president during election campaigns to rally popular support, also voiced concerns about Russia's invasion. Valery Meladze, one of the country's most beloved singers, posted an exciting video in which he "prayed" Russia to stop the war. "Something happened today that should never have happened. History will judge these events. "But today, please stop the war."
Likewise, Russian footballer Fyodor Smolov posted on his Instagram profile: "No war !!!"
On Russian state television, the invasion was reported as a defensive mission aimed at preserving Russian lives.
A do të reagojnë rusët? Në një vend ku një protestë e vetme mund të të çojë në burg, mbetet e paqartë se deri në çfarë mase rusët do të jenë në gjendje dhe të gatshëm të dalin në rrugë kundër konfliktit të përgjakshëm. Një prani e dukshme e policisë u pa në Sheshin e Kuq dhe Sheshin Pushkin, vende të njohura për organizimin e protestave.
Megjithatë, duke ndjerë se një kundërvënie e vërtetë në shkallë të gjerë kundër luftës mund të ishte basti më i mirë i Ukrainës, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, presidenti i Ukrainës, të enjten në mëngjes u kërkoi rusëve të flisnin. “Nëse autoritetet ruse nuk duan të ulen me ne për të diskutuar paqen, ndoshta ata do të ulen me ju.”
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