Russian attitudes toward Putin sour over Ukrainian armed forces operations in Kursk region

Since the start of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ operation in the Kursk region two weeks ago, Russians’ attitude towards Putin has deteriorated. This is confirmed by an analysis of social networks and other posts on the Internet. The news was reported by the commentary portal The New York Times.

Vladimir Putin. Photo: Open Source

Citing analysis by FilterLabs AI, the publication said many publications on the internet have claimed that the actions of the Ukrainian armed forces are a failure of the Russian government, including Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Because true public opinion in Russia is difficult to measure, FilterLabs tracks comments on social media sites, internet posts and news websites, using computer models to analyze the sentiments expressed by ordinary Russians.

Thus, according to analysis, the positive attitude towards Putin began to waver last year with the military mutiny under the leadership of Wagner Prime Minister Yevgeny Prigozhin. But the change in sentiment became more dramatic when the Ukrainian armed forces began operations in the Kursk region of western Russia.

“Putin’s response to the intrusion was inadequate at best and insulting at worst,” FilterLabs CEO Jonathan Teubner said in a statement.

Views of the Russian dictator remain more positive in Moscow, where controls on the media and public debate are tighter, according to the report. But even so, favorability ratings of Putin are deteriorating, though not as fast as in other parts of the country. Analysts say frustration with the Kremlin is growing in Russia’s heartland.

U.S. officials warned it was too early to tell whether the damage to Putin’s reputation would last. They said Putin’s authority in Russia has been swiftly restored since Prigozhin ended the rebellion and the Russian dictator has consistently demonstrated his ability to manipulate public opinion.

However, the continued decline in popularity could complicate the Kremlin’s ability to wage war in Ukraine. In particular, sentiment toward Putin has fallen sharply in regions of the Russian Federation where the Kremlin has concentrated its conscription. Notably, the Kremlin’s recruitment strategy depends on the ability to manage perceptions of war.

“If Putin’s prestige and popularity in these key regions decline (especially if Russians believe the war is going badly), it will be more difficult for the Kremlin to replenish its military ranks,” the FilterLabs analysis said.

The Kremlin continues to influence how Russian state media reports on the war, with few outlets publishing major stories. However, regional news outlets are less likely to sugarcoat the story.

Also read the review portal – Russians are actively distributing Fake About the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk Region: what are we talking about.

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