The successful counteroffensive of the Defense Forces of Ukraine on the territory of Russian Kurshchyna led to a sharp drop in the ratings of the illegitimate president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. Against this background, the dictator ordered a complex information campaign to whiten his reputation.
Points of attention
- The successful counter-offensive of Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region collapsed Putin's ratings.
- Russian sociological agencies claim that Russians are increasingly dissatisfied with the actions of the Kremlin.
- Putin's team cannot ignore the discontent on the part of Russian society.
The Kursk operation hit Putin's image and ratings
The American Institute for the Study of War points to the fact that Russian state sociological agencies recognize some growing dissatisfaction among Russians with Putin and the Russian government after the Ukrainian Defense Forces took control of a large part of the Kursk region.
For example, the "Public Opinion" Foundation claims that it is about 28% of respondents who do not hide their indignation or dissatisfaction with the actions of the Kremlin against the background of recent events.
Also important to understand, survey respondents have not expressed such high levels of dissatisfaction since the survey was conducted in November 2022, after the first month of the unpopular partial mobilization in Russia.
These polls by Russian state sociological agencies do not indicate a particularly pronounced dissatisfaction and are not a reliable reflection of real attitudes in Russian society. Polls, however, indicate that the Kremlin recognizes that it must accept that public discontent has grown since the start of Ukraine's invasion of the Kursk region, the ISW team emphasizes.
Putin is trying to save his reputation
According to American analysts, the Russian dictator's team is currently counting on the limited recognition of public discontent to protect it from accusations.
The Kremlin does not want Russians to be indignant that their concerns are being ignored and ignored.
The Kremlin appears to have launched an elaborate information campaign aimed at justifying to its domestic audience why Russia prefers continued offensive operations in eastern Ukraine to an urgent withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region, and limited acknowledgment of discontent may be part of that campaign, — experts note.
By the way, as of August 30, the Defense Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region advanced another two kilometers. In addition, there is a replenishment of the exchange fund.
