To some in the region, the assaults on Shebekino, the most sustained attack on a Russian town since the start of the war, made clear Moscow’s lack of concern for their fate.
In social media posts, they used the hashtag #ShebekinoIsRussia, a cry for attention from the wider public across the country, which has largely carried on with daily life.
In interviews, some in Shebekino expressed anger at how state television anchors struggled to pronounce the town’s name, even as they lauded the evacuation efforts.
“It seems that in Moscow they don’t understand what we have going on here,” said Ruslan, the English teacher.
Levada’s director, Denis Volkov, said it was too early to say whether the escalation of border attacks would rally Russians around the flag.
Persons:
Shebekino, ”, Ruslan, Denis Volkov, “
Organizations:
Levada
Locations:
Moscow, Kremlin, Shebekino