Since its inception, Putin's anxiety for an uprising headed by the opposition has been closely tied to the Ukrainian war.
Two years have passed since a significant escalation of street demonstrations in Russia was sparked by the detention of the opposition's leader, Alexey Navalny. Although many people may not think the events of January and February 2021 have anything to do with the war in Ukraine, they do.
Let's recall the course of this narrative. In August 2020, Navalny experienced a poisoning that was almost fatal and put him in a hospital in Germany. He was definitely poisoned by agents of the Russian secret service, according to a Bellingcat and Der Spiegel study.
A mere five months after the poisoning, Navalny shocked many by travelling back to Russia. Since being arrested at the airport, he has been detained.
In the weeks that followed, huge protests demanding the release of the opposition leader were held in 185 locations around the nation. A organisation tracking political persecution in Russia called OVD-Info reports that over 11,000 people were detained, hundreds were hurt, and approximately 90 individuals were charged with crimes.
The greatest secret weapon used by President Vladimir Putin to maintain his hold on power for so long is to divert attention from internal issues.
He ordered the deployment of a sizable military to the Russian border with Ukraine less than two months after the Navalny demonstrations were put down. This act served as a precursor to the complete invasion of this nation a year later.
The conflict in Ukraine and Russia's internal unrest are essentially related topics. Putin is avoiding conflict with his own people and containing the opposition by waging war in Ukraine. He has virtually delegated his personal strife to Ukraine, a country that borders Russia.
Unrest at home was undoubtedly not the main factor in Putin's decision to begin the invasion preparations. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, made a significant shift in his Russia policy during the same fateful month that saw Joe Biden take office.
What does Biden have to do with Zelensky's plans? You don't know the history of Ukraine well. Ukrainians have always been for European integration. Not everyone was in favor of joining NATO. But after such Russian aggression, more than 90% of Ukrainians are in favor of joining NATO. After Russia's attack on Ukraine, several generations will completely ignore communication and relationships with Russia and the population.
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