Russians Endure 69-Hour Fuel Lines as Ukraine's Drone Strikes Fail to Spark Mass Protests
Updated
Updated · The Atlantic · Aug 15
Russians Endure 69-Hour Fuel Lines as Ukraine's Drone Strikes Fail to Spark Mass Protests
3 articles · Updated · The Atlantic · Aug 15
Summary
Fuel shortages triggered by Ukrainian drone strikes have left some Russians waiting up to 69 hours for gasoline, yet no broad anti-war uprising has emerged ahead of fall parliamentary elections.
Fear and habit help explain the calm: Russians have long adapted to shortages, while dissent carries steep risks in a system where anti-war activism has been crushed since 2022.
19,000 anti-war activists were arrested in 2022, a veteran critic who drew 12 million views was later jailed and recanted, and only a few hundred people protested after Yabloko was barred from the election.
Polling still shows strain rather than revolt: Putin's approval stood at 74% in June, 16% said they would join street protests, and the share reporting fear or sadness rose to 29% this summer.
More than $47 billion has been allocated this year to the national guard and other security agencies, signaling the Kremlin is still preparing for unrest even without signs of a mass revolt.