A significant majority of Russians believe Western sanctions will actually benefit their country’s economy, according to a new poll.
In a survey of 1,630 people by the polling firm Levada, 59 percent said Western sanctions imposed as a result of Russia’s destabilizing actions in Ukraine would boost the country’s economic competitiveness. President Vladimir Putin has portrayed the targeted sanctions on Russia’s financial and energy sectors as an opportunity for domestic businesses to expand their production and sales.
However, that does not appear to be happening. Russia has lost $75 billion worth of capital this year, and the sanctions could shrink the country’s economic growth by as much as 1.5 percentage points. Food prices continued to soar in August after Moscow slapped a ban on U.S. and E.U. food imports in retaliation for the sanctions.
The poll reveals how the Kremlin, through its propaganda efforts, continues to ensure high levels of support from the Russian populace. Most Russians obtain their news from state-controlled media that has largely blamed the West and "fascist" rebels in Ukraine for the crisis in that country, rather than Russian-backed separatists. Putin’s approval rating rose above 80 percent earlier this year for the first time since 2008, according to a Gallup poll.
Putin, a former KGB intelligence agent, has made information control and distortion a key feature of his presidency. He signed a new bill into law on Wednesday that limits foreign ownership of media outlets—a measure that could threaten Russia’s few remaining independent news sources. The Kremlin is also ramping up funding for state-owned outlets such as RT despite making cuts to pensions and social programs.
Russian media has blamed Ukraine for the downing of a Malaysian jetliner in July in eastern Ukraine, despite accusations that it was shot down by pro-Russian rebels controlling the area.
Peter Pomerantsev, a TV producer based in London, wrote in the Atlantic last month that Putin has mastered the "weaponization of absurdity and unreality."
"Ultimately, many people in Russia and around the world understand that Russian political parties are hollow and Russian news outlets are churning out fantasies," he said. "But insisting on the lie, the Kremlin intimidates others by showing that it is in control of defining ‘reality.’ This is why it’s so important for Moscow to do away with truth. If nothing is true, then anything is possible."