How Putin stays strong in Russia, four years into war in Ukraine

"What was meant to be a swift military operation to topple the Ukrainian government and take control of the country has now dragged on for four devastating years. Russian President Vladimir Putin's promise to protect the people of Donbas, who, according to him, had been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime for the previous eight years, has meant that hundreds of settlements have been wiped off the face of the Earth and millions of lives have been broken, in both countries."

"Four years on, Russia remains firmly on a military footing, reorienting its economy towards weapons production. Western sanctions are hitting harder than before, while Ukraine's attacks on Russian military and energy facilities are causing significant damage. Social anxiety is rising, too. Activists report hundreds of cases of domestic violence and attacks involving soldiers returning from the front line."

"The main message from the Kremlin to the Russian people remains the same: the West is the enemy. The government assures Russians that external enemies are to blame for all the difficulties that are gradually mounting. The enemies want to destroy Russia, divide it and take away its natural resources. Official television channels promote the narrative that war is an integral part of Russian identity."

Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, intended as a quick operation to topple the government, has evolved into a protracted four-year conflict. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy remained in the country, defying Russian expectations. Russia has reoriented its economy toward weapons production while facing intensifying Western sanctions and Ukrainian attacks on military and energy infrastructure. Despite economic pressures and rising social anxiety including domestic violence among returning soldiers, life in major Russian cities appears relatively unchanged. The Kremlin maintains control through controlled media narratives portraying the West as an existential enemy responsible for Russia's mounting difficulties. Official television promotes war as integral to Russian identity, sustaining public support despite the conflict's prolonged nature and economic costs.

Read at www.aljazeera.com