Vasili*, 30, who lives in Ekaterinburg and works in public procurement, is reflecting on life in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine a year ago. “After this strange year, Russians have got used to this war, in my opinion. Some lost loved ones in it, others have left the country, but generally life has returned to a relatively calm rhythm,” he says.
“There are no shortages in stores, the brands that have gone, such as Ikea, have been replaced by others – although it’ll take us some time to find out what the quality of these new brands is like. Events are held – although without European performers, which is a pity. People work, study.
“Prices have certainly increased, but people still have enough money for foreign holidays in India, Turkey, Thailand or the UAE.”
He continues: “In our city, the New Year’s Eve fireworks were cancelled, because of the war, as were some corporate parties. Many young people and popular memes now use the expression ‘Russia is for the sad’. It’s a modification of an old far-right slogan that said ‘Russia is for Russians’.
“[Expressing] views honestly is very risky here today, in light of recent events and recent laws. Previously, my friends and I thought that Russian elections were unfair, and that Putin fraudulently held power. But after the war began, it became clear how many people support him and his actions. It’s why a lot of young and talented people have left the country. Otherwise, things are not bad.”
He believes that fears about conscription in the population have diminished in recent months. “I think people are probably not very worried any more, but it’s difficult to say whether there will be further mobilisation or not. When mobilisation began in September, a lot of young people panicked, understandably. No one wants to die. Some of my friends were drafted. I don’t know what is happening to them, all I know is that they are in Crimea.
“Of course, everything has become different over the past year. Poor guys are giving their lives for the interests of the rich and influential. It’s difficult and unsafe to resist the system, people want to live and enjoy themselves.
“We are told on TV and YouTube that Russians are now hated in many countries. It isn’t necessary to judge all Russians by the actions of one person.”
Vasili says he previously had plans to move abroad at some point, but emigrating now would mean “running away from problems” and leaving friends and family in a difficult situation.
“Russia is my homeland, a wonderful country with amazing people. We need to build bridges, not walls. I hope that this unnecessary war will end soon. I want peace.”
Julia*, 31, who works in education and lives in central Moscow, says her middle-class family are ardent supporters of Putin’s politics.
“My father mentioned this briefly in conversation, we don’t discuss it. I haven’t visited my grandparents since the beginning of the war, as I’m afraid of what I might hear. Their TV is always on, at high volume. People over 40 are usually quite supportive of the regime,” she says.
“One of my brothers has a ‘Z’ on his WhatsApp profile picture. I haven’t been in touch with him for a while.”
Julia says language used in conversation has palpably changed over the past 12 months, which she feels is indicative of a cultural shift, reflecting that many Russians are on a war footing these days, or even celebrating Russia’s aggression.
“The rhetoric of my colleagues and family has become violent. For example, they quote things [the Russian foreign minister, Sergei] Lavrov says, containing mafia expressions and prison slang. Speaking like this is very uncharacteristic of these people.
“They often use [expressions and words] such as ‘as a real man would do’, ‘masculine’, ‘duty’ and ‘truth’, and [openly] trash international regulations and so on. Such [discourse] is now widely accepted in society. I feel that the sanctions have strengthened support for Putin. It’s not comfortable to live here.”
An often used argument to justify the war, Julia says, is to refer to Europe as “Gayrope”, and as full of “filthy propaganda” that people say they do not want to be taught to children in Russia. “Europeans will all freeze to death from the lack of our gas and oil” is another phrase uttered frequently, she says.
However, some of the public support for the war seems to have fizzled out, she says. “There are a lot of people who just want to dissociate from everything that’s going on, and just continue with their lives. They prefer to talk about anything but politics. I guess it’s apathy – nothing can be influenced or changed, so we stopped bothering.
“There are much fewer ‘Z’ symbols on streets and cars now compared to February last year. There is nothing currently [displayed] in the city that catches my eye as propaganda, except some billboards about ‘military heroes’ that started appearing recently on bus stops – but without mention of the war in Ukraine. The soldiers that are depicted on these posters, it’s totally unclear whether they’re dead or alive.”
For Vladimir*, 45, an ex-soldier who did tours in Chechnya in the past, such calls to duty fall on deaf ears.
“I quit the state military service a few years ago, with honours and medals, but now they want me to do it again. No fucking chance!” he says.
“I’ve come to stay with my elderly mother, to help her after the death of my father. My wife and daughter are far away , and the mobilisation paper was delivered to my address there.
“I am never ever going to fight in another war, especially against the Ukrainians. I have no money to leave the country, that’s the only reason I’m still here. So, I will keep moving between my mother’s house and a rental apartment [close to my wife and child], and live in hiding from state officials. Let them search for me in the wrong place.”
Vladimir says his main income now, apart from a military pension, comes from dealing drugs, and his own recreational drug use has increased since the war began.
“People use drugs now more than ever, it’s common here now. I now use methadone, mephedrone and heroin a few times a month, and marijuana every day. My [motivation] to drop these habits has disappeared completely. Us drug users, I sometimes think we are the reason why there is no mass protest in this country.
“How do I feel about my future? Things are going steadily from bad to worse, my only hope is that I won’t be forced to participate in this absurd nightmare.”
Ksenia, 34, from the suburbs of Moscow, thinks the invasion of Ukraine is justified.
“My mom was born in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, I spent all my summer holidays there with grandparents, so everything that’s happening is quite painful for me,” she says. “Nevertheless, I consider the special military operation as the inevitable result of US [actions] over the past 30 years.”
She believes Europe and the US “only respect strength”. Many Russians have close relationships with friends and family members who, they say, received unfair treatment by the Ukrainians in the Donbas region, Ksenia says. “They were treated as stupid separatists, subhumans.”
When Russia’s mobilisation drive began, she says, it never occurred to her to leave the country.
“Yes, I was fearful and hoped my husband wouldn’t be called up. But he was calm and said he’ll definitely go and do his duty if he was [drafted], and I’m proud of him. Russia will [fight] until the end, in order to make the world two-polar and [remove] US hegemony. Because if we lose, Russia will become a subordinate of the US,” she says.
“I pray for all the Ukrainians and Russian soldiers, but I wish for my country to win.”
*Names and some details have been changed
