Russian Polarization Over War in Ukraine

Research suggests a majority of people in Russia support their country’s military actions in Ukraine, write WZB researcher Philipp Chapkovski and Alexei Zakharov of Chicago University on LSE's European Politics Blog. But what, they ask, do those who support the war think about those who oppose it?

Using an online experiment Philipp Chapkovski and Alexei Zakharov examine the "extent to which ordinary Russians are willing to punish fellow citizens for their anti-war views" and how this sits with the concept of "affective polarization". They find that supporters of the war are willing to sanction individuals who do not share their opinion. These findings reveal just how split Russian society is over the war in Ukraine, and how it contributes to overall polarization within Russian political culture. The authors close with some remarks on why there may be at least some cause for hope.

Read the piece over at the European Politics and Policy Blog run by the London School of Economics and Political Science.

20.6.22