The Reverse Evolution of a Spin Dictatorship
Putin now faces indirect criticism from hardliners for not being brutal enough in his prosecution of the war. One thing the war has changed is the balance within the pro-Kremlin elite. From 47 percent in December 2021, the proportion fearing a “return to mass repression” dropped to just 8 percent in March 2022. And by 2021, 84 percent of Russians said they would not …