Why do so many Russians continue to support the war in Ukraine? And what does public support even mean in a country with no viable political opposition, no independent media, and an autocratic government bent on controlling the narrative?

On Ian Explains, Ian Bremmer takes a look at the Russian media landscape and breaks down why Russians see the Ukraine invasion as an existential battle for the future of the country. Popular political talk shows, watched by millions of Russians in prime time every night, reflect the Kremlin’s messaging priorities and magnify themes established by Putin himself --- namely, that the collapse of the Soviet Union was the “greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century” and the collective West, led by the United States, wants to destroy Russia.