'Putin has psychological problems': how the people of Russian Street, Seoul, see the Ukraine invasion

Its streets are lined with restaurants serving shashlik and signs using the Cyrillic alphabet; the smell of rising Russian cakes wafts from bakeries and Slavic syllables muttered by passers-by fill the air.

This small neighbourhood could be almost anywhere in Central Asia. But it is actually in Seoul, South Korea, where an area traditionally known as "Dongdaemun Russian Street" has flourished over the decades into a bustling Little Russia.

People from across central Asia began to settle here in the late 1980s, with what began as a trickle turning into a flood after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

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Today it is home to tens of thousands of central Asians, not only from Russia, but from former Soviet states like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine and from farther afield such as Mongolia.

Given the eclectic mix it's perhaps not surprising that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has become a hotly debated talking point.

This Week in Asia visited this week to find out what the people of Russian Street felt about the Russian invasion.

Maria, 34, comes from Irkutsk, Russia, and arrived in South Korea in 2015 to study. She now works in a mobile phone service store in Russian Street.

Reporter: "What do you make of Russia's invasion of Ukraine?"

Maria: "For five days, I have been watching the news all day. We can't believe it's true. We can't believe something like this is happening in the 21st century. Today, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin mentioned some things about nuclear weapons, and that's crazy."

Reporter: "So, how has your opinion of Putin changed?"

Maria: "We really think he has some psychological problems, because what he's doing is not normal human behaviour. When Putin tried to explain and justify his actions and behaviours, it sounded absurd. From looking at his face, it seemed like he himself didn't truly believe the things he was saying. Putin might've thought Ukraine was going to be afraid of Russia, but Ukraine has been fighting for their freedom."

Reporter: "What do you think people inside Russia are thinking now?"

Maria: "The problem in Russia is that people don't care about politics, because Russians are struggling with maintaining a living for themselves. When we have elections, we don't have anyone else to vote for except Putin as all the other candidates are not well-known. So, many people don't go to vote. And we don't care, frankly. Our thoughts and opinions don't have any power.

"Many Russians only watch the state-controlled Channel One on TV. I also watched it the other day, and it's awful. It's propaganda and they say things like, 'Ukraine, Nato and the European Union are so bad'."

Reporter: "How is this war affecting Russia's image?"

Maria: "We used to be a country that fought for freedom, but now we have become a country that's trying to conquer another country. This is very difficult and sad for us. There was even a note on a 7-Eleven that said, 'I support Ukraine. Russians are not allowed to enter.' I think this is only the beginning."

The note Maria was referring to was taped on the entrance of a 7-Eleven convenience store in the rural northeastern city of Gangneung. The photo has been widely shared among Russian users on social media and has alarmed many.

Among those dismayed by the note is Margarita, a 28-year-old from Russia who works at another phone service store a block away from Maria.

Reporter: "What do you make of this war?"

Margarita: "We hear differing stories from both sides. News from Russia claims that it is protecting the citizens in Ukraine while Ukrainian sites say that Russia has brought war on them. I don't know which side to believe. I just hope the war will end soon."

Her colleague, Elena, says she is more hesitant to speak because she holds a view that is not popular these days.

Reporter: "Why do you think the war started?"

Elena: "I don't think Putin should be blamed for the war. Since 2018, many people in Ukraine wanted to be free and asked Russia to help them. I think the problem is America. Since Russia is powerful, other countries don't want it to grow stronger. I think all the decisions that Putin is making are the right ones to ensure our country remains very powerful. Everyone thinks that Putin is not serious, but he's making a business and political move.

Reporter: "Have you hidden your opinions in front of others?"

Elena: "I try not to talk to people about my views. Looking at social media, I can see that everyone hates Russia right now. But not everyone knows about our history or can relate to our situation."

People from other former Soviet states have also been shocked by the invasion. Rustam Umarov, 40, who came from Uzbekistan six years ago and now runs his own business, talked to This Week in Asia on his way to the bank.

Reporter: "What do you think about the war?"

Umarov: "I didn't know Putin was the kind of person who would go to this extent. I thought he was someone who did things for his country, but my thoughts are changing. I used to be kind of pro-Russian in the past.

"Lately, I've been looking at news and blogs from Uzbekistan, and people's opinions about the situation are pretty much split. Those who only watch Russian news are on Russia's side, while those who watch Western news have the opposite view. But I think there's more people siding with Ukraine at the moment."

Aigul Tolepbekova, a 45-year-old restaurant worker from Kazakhstan, was eager to express her feelings about Russia.

Tolepbekova: "I don't like Russia. Putin is the leader of a fascist state and he needs to be stopped. This is because Russia is a threat to all post-Soviet countries. People in Kazakhstan don't like Russia. We also have a lot of Russians in the northern part of our country.

"A lot of Ukrainians also live in our country. Many of them are my friends. That's why I support Ukraine.

Reporter: "Does Russia worry you?"

Tolepbekova: "Russian politics still exists in our country, and so does their media. But we look towards the West as it is our dream to become a democratic country in the future, far away from the authoritative regimes of Kazakhstan or Russia."

For Evgeniia Isaeva, a freelance model from Russia, sanctions against her country have created a flood of problems.

Isaeva: "I know the sanctions were made to push our people inside Russia to speak up and stand up against the government, but what about the situation for all the Russians living abroad? What happens to those who rely on bank transfers from their parents for their living expenses abroad? As foreign bank services have been shut down for Russia, these people are left without any money."

Reporter: "What would you would want to tell others right now?"

Isaeva: "Don't believe everything you see on TV, but double check all information. And, especially, don't spread fake videos, articles and information. Just stop. It's been miserable for us as it is."

Reporter: "What were the last few days like for you?"

Valeria: "The last seven days were the worst days of my life. My life stopped the moment I got the message that the Russian army had entered and occupied my country. Every night, I pray that I will be able to hear from my parents and friends in the morning."

Reporter: "How are other Ukrainians reacting?"

Valeria: "Many Ukrainians have friends and relatives who live in Russia, and the same goes for Russians who have family and friends in Ukraine. With the invasion, I can't say that it's going to be easy to maintain good relations between the two countries. While Ukrainian civilians are being killed, many Russian people still believe in Russia's propaganda that's being broadcasted and think that Ukrainians are killing their own countrymen. There are, however, many Russians I personally know who are supporting Ukraine during these times with money or through awareness on social media."

Reporter: "What are you hoping for?"

Valeria: "All I can think and hope for is a free and independent Ukraine just like it was a week ago. We can rebuild all the ruined buildings, but we can't get back the peoples' lives. And our people will have to live with the trauma of hiding in shelters and fearing the sound of sirens. And for this, we will never forgive. But that's the price of freedom that the Ukrainian people are willing to pay right now. Today, our heroes are fighting back and are holding off our enemies from taking away our land. With the help and support of so many countries, we believe we are powerful. We have faith."

This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

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