Strikes on Wildberries warehouses have changed Russians’ attitudes toward war, - Economist
Attacks on Wildberries warehouses and other facilities have brought the war into the daily lives of Russians and fueled discontent with the government.
According to Censor.NET, The Economist reports on this.
As the publication notes, previous strikes on Russian oil refineries have already led to a fuel shortage, and the latest attacks on Wildberries warehouses have finally shattered the notion that the war would not affect Russian territory.
"Those black columns of smoke have become part of everyday life," a Moscow resident told reporters.
Russian political scientist Elena Panfilova noted that the strikes on the marketplace’s warehouses have, to one degree or another, affected nearly all Russians—physically, financially, or psychologically.
Wildberries changed its terms for sellers in advance
Following the attacks, sellers operating through Wildberries began reporting en masse the loss of goods and financial losses.
At the same time, as The Economist reports, approximately two weeks before the strikes, the company revised the terms of its contracts with partners, excluding its liability for losses related to military actions.
Trust in the government is falling
According to data from the Russian state-run VCIOM, the level of satisfaction with the government’s performance fell from 45% in January to 21% in June.
At the same time, according to data from the independent Levada Center, the percentage of Russians who believe the country is heading in the wrong direction has risen from 17% to 35% over the past year. The publication also notes that President Vladimir Putin’s approval rating is gradually declining.
Russians are increasingly distrustful of television
The Economist notes that the Kremlin is trying to conceal information about Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory. At the same time, this only reinforces distrust of state television.
Although 56% of Russians still cite television as their primary source of information, only 37% trust it.
According to the authors of the article, while the Kremlin previously presented the war to Russians primarily through television screens, its consequences are now increasingly becoming part of their daily lives.
