The lifting of sanctions against Russian billionaires attracted little public attention, while rising utility bills, the fuel crisis, and possible cuts to cancer care funding sparked discontent among Russians. In our latest monitoring report, we examine how Russian social media users discussed rising living costs, housing affordability, the expansion of the armed forces, the possibility of mobilization, drone attacks, and missile threats.

We also analyze reactions to conflicting reports about the death of an employee at an anti-plague research institute and to a bill proposing to ban ideologies deemed contrary to traditional values.

The monitoring covers September 28 – October 4, 2026, and is based on an analysis of regional communities on VKontakte and Telegram.