Current Time TV, a Russian-speaking broadcaster based in the Czech Republic, spoke to Russian civilians about the conflict in Ukraine and showed the mixed reactions to the conflict. While many of the people shown expressed their anger at Putin for carrying out the war, several threw their support behind their leader and some looked nervous answering the question. It comes as the Kremlin has attempted to silence dissident voices by limiting what media outlets can say and cracking down on protests.
One woman was asked about her thoughts on the war and replied: “This is very bad.
“What the Russian side unleashed is very bad, it is very bad that Russia has unleashed a war.
“It will be very sad for us.”
She added it was wrong for the Russian Government to pursue a conflict as she suggested because she was in a border region that she may suffer any retaliation consequences.
One man stood against the decisions from the Kremlin and said: “Very negative.
“I wish death to Putin as soon as possible, of course, it may be indecent to say so but I wish he would die soon.”
One woman told the channel that she wanted her leaders to do the “right thing” before nervously asking “is that what you wanted to hear? I do support it?”.
A young woman said no one wanted war in Russia but soon after another citizen expressed her support for Putin before quickly walking away.
On Friday, Russia’s Duma voted in favour of a law that will see anyone sharing “fake news” about Putin’s “special operation” in Ukraine sentenced to up to 15 years of prison.
Media outlets have also been strongly warned they must use the correct vocabulary when reporting on the conflict by calling it a “special operation” rather than a “war”.
Putin insists that Russian forces are in Ukraine to overthrow a “neo-Nazi” regime that has been persecuting its population for years.