Russians are left hopeless for their future as Vladimir Putin is dragging his country into a third year of war against Ukraine.
Despite the widespread pro-war and pro-Putin propaganda raging across all Russian media, the mood of everyday people in a small town not too far from the upper echelon of power appears to be rather low.
BBC Russia editor Steve Rosenberg spoke with residents in Orekhovo-Zuyevo, a town 60 miles east of Moscow ahead of the new year.
Asking what hopes they are harbouring for 2024, when the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine will be marked, many expressed dejection and anger at the Kremlin.
One lady told the journalist: “I don’t know, I don’t have any [hopes]. How can there be hope? It’s the same old bureaucrats running things.”
Next year, Russia will likely see the re-election of Putin, who announced earlier this month he will seek in March to retain his position as President during an electoral race without any credible opponents.
Asked what worried her, the woman raged at Putin and his government, saying: “Our government deceives us. That’s what worries me. They rake in the money.”
Pointing at a man shovelling snow nearby, she added: “Shovelling it, like that man over there, while the people struggle to make ends meet.”
In October, it emerged the Russian government plans to spend in 2024 a whopping six percent of the GDP on the military.
Setting a victory in Ukraine as a clear priority over the wellbeing of Russians, the Kremlin’s budget showed that defence spending will exceed social spending.
Another Russian lady also expressed heartbreaking hopelessness over her future, as she revealed how meagre her pension is.
Asked whether she doesn’t have any hopes for her future, she replied: “No. If I had a decent pension, then I’d have some hope. My [monthly] pension is 17,000 roubles (approximately £150).”
Her one wish for the future is to see the war in Ukraine coming to an end, she said.
Asked what has to happen in order to see peace again in Ukraine, she let out a bitter laugh, before saying: “Oh, there are great minds up there in power, But I am nobody.”
The prospect of an end to the conflict started by Moscow remains bleak for the time being, as Putin appears stronger than 12 months ago. However, Russia continues to suffer hundreds of losses every day.
