JRL NEWSWATCH: “Why Support for Putin’s War Is Rife in Russia’s Worst-Hit Regions” – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

“Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk — known in the 1990s as the communist ‘red belt’ — are now a support belt for Putin’s ‘special operation.'”

“In Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, 1,150 apartments in a single district were damaged last week in recent incursions and shelling. It might seem that the arrival of hostilities on Russian territory should prompt Russians to change their attitude toward the war, and boost demands for a ceasefire and peace negotiations. In reality, however, the effects may be far less linear, not least because of the history and political leanings of the border regions affected, which were known in the 1990s as the ‘red belt.’ Support for the ‘special operation’ is actually higher in regions close to the front, according to polls conducted by the Khroniki (Chronicles) project. … There are outraged reports in Belgorod of officials soliciting payments from people during the evacuation process, and as the military situation worsens, these sources of anger will only increase. But for now, they are mere cracks in a strong foundation. …”

Click here for: “Why Support for Putin’s War Is Rife in Russia’s Worst-Hit Regions; Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk—known in the 1990s as the communist ‘red belt’ — are now a support belt for Putin’s ‘special operation.'” – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace/ Alexey Gusev