Recently escaped Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin, 63, claimed that the prolonged war has increased fatigue among the Russian populace, and that President Vladimir Putin is aware of this.
In an interview with CNN on August 13, Nadezhdin stated, "President Putin and his inner circle know that they must stop the war to regain public support." However, he expressed uncertainty about whether Putin would actually end the conflict.
Nadezhdin asserted that voices calling for peace are growing not only in Russian society but also among the elite and Putin's closest allies. He attributed this to rising prices, declining living standards, and drone attacks on Russian territory by Ukraine, which have fueled discontent.
Recent polls reflect this shift in sentiment. According to the independent Russian polling agency Levada Center, support for military action in Ukraine dropped to 66% last month, the lowest level since the invasion began in 2022. However, he noted that strong media control and suppression of anti-war sentiment limit the accurate assessment of public opinion.
Putin's approval ratings have also declined this year. A survey by the state-owned polling agency VTsIOM indicated that his approval rating for governance fell to 65.6% in April, the lowest since the start of the conflict.
Nadezhdin attempted to challenge Putin in the 2024 presidential election on a platform of peace but was denied candidate registration due to issues with gathering endorsements. He also planned to run in the upcoming September parliamentary elections, but Russian authorities designated him as a 'foreign agent,' preventing his candidacy. He left Russia earlier this month.
Nadezhdin predicted that while a ceasefire agreement may be possible, establishing long-term peace between Russia, Ukraine, and the West would be challenging in the short term.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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