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Another wave of public outcry tests Putin's
rule in wartime Russia; Story by DASHA LITVINOVA; Some Russian influencers recently released public appeals
to President Vladimir Putin, criticizing his government and
policies, and a number of his loyalists even threatened a
revolt — the latest wave of public outcry over the country's
strained wartime economy and mounting internet restrictions.
While none of this dissent indicates an imminent threat to
Putin’s rule, analysts say it presents a new and growing
challenge for the Kremlin.
“Greater and greater effort needs to be spent on maintaining
the status quo,” Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russian politics
who heads the Mayak Intelligence consultancy, wrote in an
analysis.
Here’s a look at the public outcry in Russia and what is
driving it:
A 19-minute video by popular Russian blogger Victoria Bonya
has received 31 million views on Instagram since it was
published 10 days ago.
In the video, Bonya, who has 13.6 million followers on the
platform, complained to Putin that he was probably mis-
informed about some things — local authorities' poor handling
of recent floods in the southern province of Dagestan, the culling
of livestock in Siberia that prompted protests from farmers,
crippling internet restrictions and strains on small businesses.
Bonya, a popular Russian TV host who now lives abroad,
emphasized that she supports Putin, but she said ordinary
Russians and his own officials are too scared to tell him
the truth.
“There’s a lot you don’t know,” she said. “People are screaming
at the top of their lungs now. They’ve been robbed of everything
they have, and they continue to be robbed. Businesses are dying.”
Reactions to the video snowballed. Other Russian influencers
aired similar sentiments in their videos, some of which were
later deleted.
In a rare acknowledgment of the public criticism, Putin spokesman
Dmitry Peskov said Kremlin officials saw the video and that “a lot
of work is being done” on the issues Bonya mentioned. “None of it
is being ignored,” Peskov said. Influencers appeal to Putin, while his approvals drop; Now why
does that
sound so
familiar?
