As the conflict in Ukraine approaches its fourth consecutive year, BBC Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg has conducted a series of ground-level interviews across Russia to gauge public sentiment about the nation’s future. The extensive reporting reveals a complex tapestry of expectations among Russian citizens as they look toward 2026.
The investigation captures diverse perspectives ranging from economic concerns to geopolitical expectations. Many interviewees express profound anxiety about the prolonged duration of the military engagement and its cascading effects on daily life, international relations, and economic stability. Contrary to monolithic Western perceptions, Rosenberg’s findings illustrate significant variance in how ordinary Russians conceptualize their personal and national future.
Economic stability emerges as a predominant concern, with citizens highlighting worries about inflation, currency valuation, and access to imported goods. The reporting also identifies nuanced perspectives on international isolation, with some expressing hope for normalized relations while others anticipate continued geopolitical tensions. Personal aspirations intertwine with national destiny in unexpected ways, creating a multifaceted portrait of a society navigating unprecedented circumstances.
The temporal focus on 2026 provides a strategic midpoint perspective, allowing citizens to project beyond immediate wartime realities toward medium-term outcomes. Rosenberg’s methodology emphasizes authentic street-level conversations rather than official narratives, capturing voices often absent from international coverage. This approach reveals surprising resilience in some quarters alongside deep apprehension in others, presenting a more complete picture of the Russian psyche during this historical moment.
The reporting concludes without definitive predictions, instead presenting the array of hopes and concerns as Russia continues to adapt to economic transformations and global repositioning. This ground-level account provides valuable insight into how geopolitical events translate into personal expectations for the future.