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Even Russia’s major pollsters, including state-run VCIOM and FOM, as well as the independent Levada Center, have reported a clear decline in public sentiment. The Kremlin, however, insists conditions remain stable.

[German media outlet] DW invited its [Russian] social media users to share their stories. All responses have been anonymized for safety reasons.

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‘If there is gas at all, there are massive queues of 50 to 100 cars’ …

“If there is gas anywhere at all, there’s a massive queue of 50 to 100 cars,” [one Russian citizen] said.

“We decided that waiting until 3 or 4 a.m. only to head straight to work was a terrible idea, so we went home to sleep. We’re on half a tank for now, but by the end of the week we’ll either have to hunt for fuel or stand still. Lately, we use the car almost exclusively for trips to the dacha to see our elderly parents.”

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“Now you have to hunt for gas at night. You don’t always get lucky. Often there’s no gas at all. If there is, it’s a two-to-three-hour wait.”

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Fuel shortages triggered by Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have become a leading public grievance. Data from BenZinMap, a fuel tracking portal, show severe sales restrictions across 66 regions as of August 27, with another 16 reporting localized disruptions or sharp price increases.

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There are few signs of outright panic, though, with drivers appearing to adapt to intermittent supply. “Gas is tight, but St. Petersburg is still holding up for now,” said one user. “There were disruptions with gas, but the situation is better now, though it’s not available everywhere,” said another.

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‘Getting a new job is becoming harder’

Official statistics point to exceptionally low unemployment in Russia, with Rosstat reporting a record-low rate of 2.2%. But the figure is misleading. Recruitment platforms hh.ru and SuperJob report a sharp rise in CVs alongside a decline in job postings, suggesting growing dissatisfaction among workers but limited alternatives.

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Getting a new job is becoming harder and harder: There are no new openings, and the ones available are either low-paying or involve grueling 12-hour shifts," wrote one subscriber.

“Wage delays make it hard to keep up with loan payments,” said another.

“I’ve been working for two-thirds of my salary all summer. It covers food and gym, and that’s about it,” noted a third. “Layoffs have hit many industries,” added a fourth. “The race of inflated salaries is over. And life has gotten monstrously more expensive than before 2022.”

This grim sentiment has spread even to prestigious white-collar roles. An IT professional from St. Petersburg described the shift: “There are no sudden economic shocks, just a gradual decline that has been dragging on for the last 10 years. Job prospects are tight, and finding a new role will be extremely difficult.”

A 54-year-old Moscow entrepreneur recalled running a service firm for Western clothing brands before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. After major clients pulled out, he was forced to close the business. He later launched a new venture manufacturing apparel in Central Asia and Bangladesh for sale on Russian online marketplaces. Early on, rising consumer incomes drove rapid growth. But as economic pressure mounted, conditions worsened.

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‘People plan nothing, withdraw cash and buy dollars’

The dominant theme [among Russian citizens] is the absence of a positive vision of the future. Respondents, judging from their comments, are not preparing for a single shock, but for a prolonged period of stagnation or decline.

“In our region, the changes are not yet significant,” wrote a woman … “Prices are rising, of course, but overall it feels like people live just as they did before. Personally, the changes in daily life I feel most are with internet service. It has gotten slower, and the VPN is on almost constantly to bypass censorship. A huge number of people from my personal bubble left Russia, though that has been happening since 2022. We sent our son to another country, too.”

When planning becomes difficult, day-to-day coping dominates. “Fuel shortages, drone attacks… Basic trips to Turkey have become unaffordable,” said another subscriber. “People plan nothing, withdraw cash and buy dollars. There are no hopes for a bright future or a change of power. Everyone lives for today. Drinking has increased significantly — even in Moscow.”

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Beyond anxiety and apathy, a notable number of responses point to growing social fragmentation, with people withdrawing into narrower circles and avoiding broader discussion.

“People are mad as hell and blame the West for all their troubles. Life has become far poorer, duller and more dangerous than before the war.”

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“People either shut down or cut off any conversation about life and the war immediately. Almost no one is left putting on a brave face or posturing.”

“The issue isn’t just fuel or the internet — it’s the change in people, even quite decent ones,” wrote another subscriber, a woman working in healthcare.

“There’s internal fear, deep irritation — even among those who understand nothing and want to know nothing. But everyone sees the prices. It frightens people. Internal social taboos are vanishing… The intelligentsia suddenly lost its dust, its cultural veneer — especially military-industrial engineers.”

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