Рессентиментный национализм
The article analyzes mass reactions caused by the crisis of Putin's regime's legitimacy, as well as mechanisms of consequent consolidation of Russia's society around the authorities due to the aggressive anti-Ukrainian and anti-western propagandist campaign in 2014. The increase of social tension and discontent in Russian society which became noticeable in 2011-12 and manifested in mass protest demonstrations in large cities was caused by disappointment with the government's social policy, the cutback of social expenditures not conforming to the paternalist expectations of the majority of the populace. From the ideological point of view this discontent was expressed in demands to restore Russia's Great Power status, limit migration, execute a national policy providing advantages and social benefits to Russians. Externally the social tension and national inferiority complex manifested in the increase of xenophobia and anti-western sentiment. The political crisis in Russia and the change of political course by the new Ukrainian leadership created a serious danger for the Russian authoritarian regime. Putin's propaganda managed to channel and redirect the growing social discontent in Russia onto Ukraine, by presenting the events there not as a movement against Yanukovich's corrupt government but as an illegitimate revolt , «fascist», nationalist and anti-Russian in spirit. The consequent annexation of the Crimea caused a powerful patriotic upsurge, dismissing the past complaints against the acting authorities. The popularity and approval of Putin's policy have reached maximum levels (85%). However Western sanctions and the reciprocation of the Russian authorities impaired the country's economy which caused a gradual decrease of support of the plans to invade Donbass using the Russian army and a more cautious approach to Putin's political course. The failure of democratic transformation lead to the reanimation of conservative imitation traditionalism relying on mechanisms of negative identity and suppression of social solidarity bases alternative to the authorities as well as the weakening of moral and human capital.