This question about Putin’s regime has always fascinated me

And I don’t know the answer. I never will, probably.

Though I’ve been away from Russia for almost a decade, I know the country well. I experienced it intimately across decades, despite my frequent stretches in the West for education and work. I know well how the country has evolved under Putin. I know its people from its different generations, from vastly different walks of life. Pro-Putin, anti-Putin, the ones who had been exposed to the West — for education, work or travel, and the ones who’ve never traveled outside of the country, save maybe for a holiday in Turkey; rich and the ones struggling; genuine entrepreneurs and pseudo-entrepreneurs — the folks whose wealth comes from their careers in the government or because of their interactions with various government agencies. I still have close relatives and friends in Moscow.

I wrote recently about how most Russians support the war against Ukraine. It’s a dark story, a disheartening observation.

Let me dig into this topic further.

This question has occupied my mind for a long time, even before the awful war in Ukraine.

For all the shock of the situation (I’m referring to the fact that most Russians support the war and support Putin), it’s not THAT shocking. I can understand how many Russians form their view of the world. They watch on TV how Ukraine is carrying out the genocide of the Russians, how the West is planning to destroy Russia. I know it all…