俄羅斯作為這場戰爭的發動者，其國內卻有相當多民眾支持政府的軍事行動，甚至對烏克蘭的慘重傷亡表現出冷漠態度，這種現象的背後涉及複雜的歷史、政治、社會與宣傳因素。

首先，俄羅斯的官方敘事長期將烏克蘭描繪為一個「被西方操控的傀儡國家」，並宣稱俄軍的「特別軍事行動」是為「去納粹化」和「保護俄語族群」，而非單純的侵略。這種論調在國家控制的媒體不斷強化下，使許多俄羅斯人相信戰爭是「必要之舉」，甚至是對抗北約東擴的自衛行為。此外，克里姆林宮善於利用歷史記憶，例如將烏克蘭的獨立與二戰時期的「反法西斯鬥爭」連結，進一步合理化其軍事行動。

其次，俄羅斯社會長期處於高壓的政治環境，獨立媒體幾乎全遭打壓，異議聲音被嚴厲鎮壓，導致民眾難以接觸到戰爭的真實情況。官方媒體刻意淡化烏克蘭平民的傷亡，並將焦點放在「俄軍的英勇表現」或「西方陰謀論」上，使得許多民眾對烏克蘭的苦難無感，甚至認為烏方的抵抗是「受西方煽動」。再加上俄羅斯政府嚴控網路資訊，封鎖社交媒體與國際新聞，一般民眾只能接收到經過篩選的訊息，自然容易形成對戰爭的支持或冷漠態度。

此外，俄羅斯的民族主義情緒也是關鍵因素之一。許多俄羅斯人深受「大國心態」影響，認為烏克蘭在歷史上本應屬於俄羅斯的勢力範圍，其獨立只是一種「暫時的錯誤」。這種思想在蘇聯解體後並未完全消失，反而在普丁政權的鼓吹下重新強化，使部分民眾認為「收復」烏克蘭領土是正當之舉。再加上俄羅斯社會普遍存在的「強人政治」崇拜，許多人將支持戰爭視為對國家領導的忠誠表現，而非對戰爭本身的道德判斷。

最後，經濟制裁雖然對俄羅斯造成衝擊，但政府透過補貼、宣傳與愛國主義動員，成功將困境歸咎於「西方的敵意」，而非戰爭本身。這使得許多民眾即便感受到生活水準下降，仍認為是「為國家生存而必要的犧牲」，而非政府決策的錯誤。這種「受圍困心態」進一步強化對戰爭的支持，甚至讓部分人對烏克蘭的傷亡表現出冷酷態度，認為「他們若投降就不會受苦」。

綜合來看，俄羅斯民眾對戰爭的支持或冷漠，並非單純的「好戰」或「無情」，而是政府長期操控資訊、利用民族主義敘事、壓制異議聲音的結果。在封閉的輿論環境與強化的愛國主義教育下，許多人的認知已被塑造成符合官方立場的樣貌，使得這場戰爭在俄羅斯內部得以持續獲得某種程度的「正當性」。

As the initiator of this war, Russia nonetheless has a significant portion of its population supporting the government's military actions, even showing indifference toward the heavy casualties suffered by Ukraine. Behind this phenomenon lie complex historical, political, social, and propaganda factors.

Firstly, the official Russian narrative has long portrayed Ukraine as a "puppet state controlled by the West," claiming that the Russian military's "special military operation" aims to "denazify" and "protect Russian-speaking communities," rather than being a simple act of aggression. This rhetoric, constantly reinforced by state-controlled media, has led many Russians to believe that the war is a "necessary action" or even a form of self-defense against NATO's eastward expansion. Furthermore, the Kremlin skillfully draws on historical memory, linking Ukraine's independence to the "anti-fascist struggle" of World War II, further legitimizing its military actions.

Secondly, Russian society has long operated under a highly repressive political environment. Independent media have been nearly completely suppressed, and dissenting voices are harshly silenced, making it difficult for the public to access the truth about the war. State media deliberately downplay civilian casualties in Ukraine and instead focus on the "heroic actions of Russian troops" or "Western conspiracy theories," causing many people to feel numb toward Ukraine’s suffering or even believe that Ukraine's resistance is "instigated by the West." In addition, the Russian government tightly controls online information, blocking social media and international news sources, meaning that the general public can only access filtered information, naturally leading to support for or indifference toward the war.

Moreover, Russian nationalism is another key factor. Many Russians are deeply influenced by a "great power mentality," believing that Ukraine historically belonged within Russia's sphere of influence and that its independence is merely a "temporary mistake." This mindset did not disappear after the collapse of the Soviet Union but was instead revived and reinforced under Putin’s regime, leading some to see the "reclaiming" of Ukrainian territory as a justified act. Coupled with the widespread admiration for "strongman politics" in Russian society, many view support for the war as a display of loyalty to the national leadership rather than a moral stance on the war itself.

Lastly, although economic sanctions have impacted Russia, the government has used subsidies, propaganda, and patriotic mobilization to successfully shift the blame for hardships onto "Western hostility" rather than the war itself. As a result, even though many people feel a decline in living standards, they still see it as a "necessary sacrifice for the survival of the nation," rather than a consequence of flawed government decisions. This "siege mentality" further strengthens support for the war, and even leads some to exhibit cold attitudes toward Ukrainian casualties, believing that "they wouldn't suffer if they surrendered."

In summary, the Russian public’s support for or indifference to the war is not simply a matter of being "warlike" or "heartless," but the outcome of long-term government manipulation of information, nationalist narratives, and suppression of dissent. In a closed media environment and under intensified patriotic education, many people's perceptions have been shaped to align with the official position, allowing the war to maintain a certain level of "legitimacy" within Russia.