This analysis comes from a recent report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), published on Feb. 25.
The silence on the anniversary is aimed at distracting from Russia's inability to meet its strategic goals in Ukraine, including the failure to capture the entirety of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts.
Russian state TV channels Rossiya 1 and Channel One (Perviy Kanal) and Gazprom Media-owned TV channel NTV did not mention the two-year anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in broadcasts on Feb. 24, Russian opposition outlet Agentstvo Novosti reported on Feb. 25.
The ISW noted minimal discussion of the second anniversary by Russian officials.
Read also: Russia wants to capture Luhansk Oblast before March ‘elections’ – Kyiv
A recent poll on public opinion in Russia shows that Russian attitudes towards the war in Ukraine have remained unchanged over the last few months. Most Russian citizens are apathetic towards the war, though they do not support a second wave of mobilization, according to the survey.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Russian officials likely avoided highlighting the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion to maintain this apathy. This approach allows Russian officials to continue the war without significant public backlash.
Putin is likely aware that a second mobilization wave would be unpopular domestically and is concerned about it, according to ISW. However, Putin may be less worried about public sentiment after his re-election in March 2024, deciding that Russia's military needs outweigh the risks of widespread domestic discontent.
Russian casualties have reached 180,000 killed, with total casualties, including wounded, up to 500,000, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced at a press conference on Feb. 25.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Section: Nation
Author: Alla Shcherbak
