[Vibgyor5]

I am in Russia currently. Not Russian but I speak fluent Russian and have acquaintances in affected territories.

Update: 19:28 Moscow time.

- Situation is normal in cities and oblasts: as in, there seem to be no panic but people are definitely reading the news.

- Everyone support the government - although I find Russians to be highly political apathetic (which is one of the major roots of the problems in the country IME). The ones who'd soft corner for Wagner also seem to note that Prigozhin should've picked a better time for this. Wagner posters for recruitment are being removed. In all sense, it has fallen from grace.

- Wagner definitely does not have a high proportion of supporters amongst civilians. Within the army's junior ranks (and in Rosgvardiya) there are people that are more sympathetic to it, hence, why they do not explicitly used force against them. Rumors here are that this is one of the reasons why Ahmat forces were sent to Rostov.

- Wagner forces themselves seem to have strict instructions not to use show of force against esp. civilians in order to not alienate them.

- I'd take Western-news with some salt as well because this is a good time to mix information-war as well.

- Moscow is on high alert, people aren't suggested to make too many public movements, and Monday is declared holiday for most public institutions. Many dense places (malls etc.) have been evacuated. I believe this is to ensure that civilians are neither impacted nor used as hostages.

- For best/live updates, use Telegram channels (in Russian) or Tass (in Russian, use your BS-sensor accordingly)

[908B64B197]

> I find Russians to be highly political apathetic

That's a good survival strategy.

You'll see them side with the winner as soon as it becomes obvious who that is.

[Vibgyor5]

Its not. It is indifference which leads to the very few - who can hold the power - to continue holding it unobstructed and play their narrative with propaganda because they themselves know that even if people realize this is BS, they'd still not do anything about it.

There is a cumulative "corruption of will" - for the lack of better term - that comes with it. And when there is no will, those who can have their way, will continue to have it.

[r00fus]

You realize Putin jails his political adversaries and their supporters? Journalists who don’t tow the party line get silenced or fall out of a window.

Also the same government that conscripted war protesters then sent them to the front lines…

[iavael]

What's wrong in 908B64B197's statement is not that it's a good survive strategy. It's wrong that russian commoners take sides. Indifference leads to caring only for yourself and those who are close to you. And whoever is in power - doesn't matter.

There's a ukranian proverb that is also part of russian culture in english it's meaning sounds like "lords fight - serfs struggle" (паны дерутся - у холопов чубы трещат). So for ordinary person best strategy is not to get yourself between Scylla and Charybdis and be loyal to any power unless you get direct profits from loyalty.

[mnky9800n]

This is already over probably

https://t.me/komintariy

[cmurf]

Russians aren't in a position to participate in anything approximating politics. There is no state in Russia, it collapsed long ago already. It is a mafia turf war.

All that matters is making money. Putin, Prigozhin, the Kremlin, do not care about Russians or Ukrainians. Don't care about their reputation, the world or treaties.