Special Services

Awareness among Russians, particularly residents of the Kaliningrad Region, of the actual war situation in Ukraine is steadily growing. Despite the massive censorship and repression of the Russian regime, real information about the defeats suffered by Russia and the number of war casualties is increasingly reaching the public consciousness. This is translating into emerging criticism of Vladimir Putin's regime and its policies.

Criticism is becoming particularly evident among residents of the Kaliningrad Region, who have much better access to reliable information than residents of other regions of Russia. Russians in the Kaliningrad Region see drastic differences between the standard of living in the West and poverty in Russia. This further weakens the morale of the residents, especially the soldiers and their families. They are currently the most frustrated group of the Kaliningrad Region’s residents. They also best see the ineptitude and inefficiency of the Russian administration.

Residents of the Kaliningrad Region also take note of troop movements on an ongoing basis. They are aware of the scale of the departure of Russian units from their places of station in the Kaliningrad Region. More troops are being sent to the frontline, which does not escape the attention of local public opinion. This even worries the residents, who are concerned about the fate of their loved ones, as well as the steady weakening of the military potential in the Russian exclave. Residents see that action against Ukraine is weakening the defense potential in the Kaliningrad Region. Such awareness will grow.

The mood of Russians both in the Kaliningrad Region and in the rest of Russia is also increasingly weakened by economic problems. The public is seeing more and more clearly that the war is having a negative impact on their standard of living. They can see the increasing scale of poverty, which primarily affects the Russian population.

National Security Department