And nobody came

Kommersant reports that about 20 (!) people showed up to protest against the war in Voronezh, and a tiny few in Vladivostok. Nothing of note in the capitals, Moscow and St. Pete.

Being an anti-anti-Americanist, I’m nonetheless not amused by the news. It’s extra evidence that grassroot democracy is nonexistent in Russia. Most Russians, polls show, disapprove of the war, but they wouldn’t take to the streets: why? Iraq is a long, long way from here; who cares? Even if issues of immediate concern to the voters were at stake, I bet only a few thousand would turn up. I still hope there are a few matters that would make Russian men get up from their sofas and Russian women put aside their knitting and fashion mags.

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