Russians on how long they'll tolerate war
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The gist
The New York Times reported from Sofino, near Moscow, where drone strikes killed two people.
The war's fifth year is reaching daily life through fuel lines and strikes.
Background
The New York Times spoke to residents of Sofino, a town about an hour from Moscow, after Ukrainian drones struck an industrial area and a residential complex there. The report examines how long Russians will put up with the war, now in its fifth year. For years the war was mostly background noise for many Russians, but the material describes it as more present: a limping economy, drivers waiting in line for gas, warehouses and data centers burning, and Moscow at times under heavy attack. Ukrainian historian Yaroslav Hrytsak, a professor at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, argues Russians may keep fighting through hardship but could sour on the war if they conclude it is pointless.
How it unfolded
- Oct 18, 2026Ukrainian historian Yaroslav Hrytsak gives an interview marking the war's 1,700th day, saying the war is in its fifth year with none of its political objectives achieved.
- Oct 22, 2026Ukraine launches 630 drones into the Moscow region, according to a New York Times correspondent.
- Oct 23, 2026The New York Times publishes a report from Sofino, about an hour from Moscow, where Ukrainian drones a few days earlier struck an industrial area, igniting a fire, and a residential complex, killing two people.
Who’s saying what
- Public
- Danya, a young man at a Rosneft gas station in the Moscow region, said everything is fine, that fuel shortages are overblown and the war "doesn't affect my life at all" — after waiting 30 minutes for gas.
- Expert
- Historian Yaroslav Hrytsak said that even under severe economic hardship Russians may continue fighting, but that they may come to see the war as pointless, which has implications for Putin's legitimacy.
- Analysts
- Hrytsak said analyses of recent Russian elections suggest support for Putin may be very low, and that people may be disappointed in him for achieving nothing in the war rather than opposing the war itself.
Still unverified
Hrytsak's claim that analyses of recent Russian elections suggest support for Putin may now be very low, perhaps among the lowest levels ever.