Do Russians Rally Round the Flag? Support for Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine Among Russian Citizens

Since the onset of Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, one of the key questions discussed by academics, politicians, and the wider public has been whether Russians genuinely support their government’s course. On the one hand, President Putin’s approval rating surged after the war began, and many expressed declarative support for the war. This may indicate a sense of unity among Russians rallying round their flag and leader. On the other hand, this support is far from consistent; it is marked more by negative than positive emotions and lacks a clear image of the enemy, challenging the conventional “rallying round the flag” explanation for war support in Russia. Based on existing survey data and original qualitative research into how Russians perceive the conflict, this paper explores the complex nature of war support and critically assesses the applicability of the “rallying round the flag” approach in the Russian context.