Former Russian President and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, stated that citizens opposing the military operation in Ukraine are "traitors." In an interview with Russian News Agency, Medvedev indicated that polls show three-quarters of Russians support the Kremlin's decision to launch the attack in Ukraine, and they also back President Vladimir Putin. He criticized Russians who object to the invasion, adding: "You can be dissatisfied with some authorities' decisions and criticize them. That's normal. But you cannot take a stance against the state in such a difficult situation because that is treason."
An independent monitoring group for protests claims that Russian authorities arrested thousands earlier this month during nationwide protests against the attack on Ukraine. On another note, Medvedev described it as "foolish" to believe that Western sanctions on Russian companies could affect the Moscow government. He stated that the sanctions would only unify Russian society and would not cause public discontent with the authorities.
The West imposed a series of sanctions on Russia following the start of the attack on Ukraine, but a month into the war, the Kremlin asserts it will continue operations until its goals of "demilitarizing" Ukraine are achieved. Some sanctions targeted prominent businessmen believed to be close to Putin. Medvedev said: "Let's ask ourselves: Can any of these major businessmen have even the slightest influence on the position of the country's leadership? I tell you honestly: no, it's impossible."
