The strategy of getting the public to ignore the war by sending oppressed minorities into the meat grinder falls apart when the friends and loved ones of those you’re telling to ignore the war become POWs.

All of the sudden, the treatment of prisoners matters. All of the sudden, the war becomes real.

I wouldn’t discount the Russian capacity to disconnect even in those circumstances.

While it might seem that the Russian population could disconnect under such dire circumstances, history shows that Russians have the capacity to rise against oppressive conditions imposed by their own government. The Russian Revolution of 1917 is a prime example. Amidst widespread dissatisfaction with the Tsarist regime due to economic hardship, military failures, and political repression, the Russian people ultimately overthrew a centuries-old monarchy.

Similarly, the protests and eventual collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and early 1990s highlight the power of their collective action. The combination of economic stagnation, political corruption, and a desire for greater freedoms led to mass demonstrations that ultimately brought down the regime.

These historical precedents suggest that while disconnection and passivity are possible; they are by no means guaranteed. When the consequences of government actions become too severe—whether through economic hardship, loss of life, or a perceived betrayal of public trust—the Russian populace has shown that it can indeed mobilize to demand change.

Poor Russians though, it always got marginally better at best, and then it got worse again… Hope their next change is around the corner and is longer lasting.