The People

This chapter focuses on critical questions shaping Russian society and delves into the complexity of deciphering social institutions in a society marked by decades of oppressive regimes. Post the full-scale Ukraine invasion restrictive legislation complicates scholars’ understanding of the Russian social landscape even further. The chapter navigates these intricate social dynamics by adopting dialectic discourse methodology. It examines Russians’ attitudes towards Putin, evaluating the role of the opposition and discussing the nation’s relations with its past and future.