[jmnicolas]

> The events of the last few days make it at least plausible that Putin's days are numbered.

Citation needed. I believe Putin enjoys a very strong approval in Russia and I have never read or see anything that could disprove it (except from self styled experts that are notoriously clueless about everything).

For a comparison there were just hundreds of protestors in Moscow on a 12 millions pop. This is nothing.

I visited quite a few Russian blogs with the help of a translation plugin, I didn't see anything looking like they disapprove, on the contrary most of them ask why it took 8 years.

[bnlxbnlx]

from what i read anti-war protesters in russia get arrested. so the threshold to show one’s disapproval with the invasion is fairly high.

[usr1106]

> from what i read anti-war protesters in russia get arrested.

Not only arrested. Beaten up and treated with electro shocks. Putin's Russia is not about humanity.

[jmnicolas]

Again, citation needed. These accusations are way too serious to just put it like that.

[usr1106]

I read interviews with protesters yesterday, sorry no link available.

But my favorite search engine immediately brings up these ones:

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-moscow-navalny-protests-polic...

https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-...

https://freedomnews.org.uk/2018/02/13/russia-arrested-antifa...

They are a couple of years old, but that things would have changed for the better in Russia does not sound likely, all reports are talking of the opposite.

There are also many reports about systematic rape in Russian prisons. Committed by inmates who are forced by the guards in exchange for less inhuman treatment.

Search for Nawalny's reports how is being treated if you still have not enough. Of course he gets carefully selected treatment because they know that the international press is reporting. But still it's a country where not only the leader is a brutal criminal.

[PixelOfDeath]

Yes! Nobody can just claim such terrible acts from a state that openly murders political opponents and currently is carrying out an invasion of a peaceful country.

[ozfive]

Nothing stoping Russians from starting sabotage operations internally in protest.

[usr1106]

> Nothing stoping Russians from starting sabotage operations internally in protest.

A lot is stopping most people.

First you need somewhat objective information what is happening. A vast majority of the population does not have that. All independent voices have silenced, except if you are a political activist and know what to search for.

Then you need to take significant risk to commit crimes. As a small saboteur they won't have Novichok for you, but Russian prisons are very close to systematic torture. Especially for prisoners with a political background.

[usr1106]

According to independent Levada polls over 90% of the population approved Putins politics after the occupation of Crimea in 2014.

Last August "only" 61% approved his politics, mainly because of the masses getting poorer and large failure to fight the pandemic.

While 61% would be a good figure for most Western politicians, it was obviously a worrying trend for Putin. So he changed the agenda from a domestic one to a war. In January while he was still threatening support had indeed gone up to 69%.

Whether it is possible to get and publish any trustworthy polls in the current situation I don't know. After all the words attack and war are censored in Russian media, protesting against the war is illegal. They only have a special operation...

[digitalsushi]

Does someone sharing their opinion that something is possible need a citation?

[chihuahua]

Indeed, how could there possibly be a citation for the possibility that his days are numbered? Demanding a citation for a future event does not make sense.

[jmnicolas]

Yes when it's outlandish from the known reality. I don't need citation for "there are people in Russia that don't like Putin" but I need one when "his days are numbered".

I (try to) look at the world like it is, not like I want it to be. Thinking that Putin days are numbered (be it by the people or his security apparatus) is delusional. If it is not, then back it up with something, I have no problem correcting my views when confronted with good data.

[rodgerd]

> I believe Putin enjoys a very strong approval in Russia

An autocrat who routinely imprisons and murders his critics does not inspire honest opinions to be shared by his people.

[baybal2]

> Citation needed. I believe Putin enjoys a very strong approval in Russia

His approval rating is as genuine as his 146% election victories https://bloknot.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/rostovsakaya-1...