Opinion: Putin’s war? The case for Russia’s collective responsibility in Ukraine

Referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine simply as “Putin’s war” is quite common, but this framing is misleading. It oversimplifies the invasion, affects allies’ perceptions, and fuels Russian propaganda. By focusing solely on the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, blame for this brutal aggression is shifted away from the Russian people. In reality, millions of Russians are driving and sustaining the war, which calls for a broader examination of collective responsibility.
The concept of collective responsibility holds that a group or society can bear moral accountability for certain actions or harms, even if not every individual directly contributes. Applying this to the Russian invasion of Ukraine means acknowledging that the Russian population, along with its institutions, bears moral responsibility for the war, given the vast number of Russians who facilitate continued aggression daily.
During a recent nationwide air attack on Ukraine, a husband and father in Lviv suffered an unimaginable loss – his wife and three daughters were killed in a missile strike that destroyed their home. In an instant, his entire family was taken from him, leaving him to endure grief beyond words. Images of this tragedy flooded social media, serving as a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating human toll Russia’s war continues to inflict on innocent civilians.
While the blame for such horrific losses is quickly placed on Putin, these victims were not killed by him alone. The missile that struck their home was not designed and built by Putin. The fighter jet that delivered it was not fueled, maintained, or piloted by him. Putin did not prepare the meals for the military and support personnel. The uniforms they wore were not sewn by Putin. Behind every strike and offensive operation is a vast network of Russian civilians and military personnel.
This network includes countless individuals involved in every aspect of Russia’s so-called “special military operation,” from complex missile launches to basic administration. These tasks are carried out by average Russians working in various sectors – military, energy, manufacturing, food and agriculture, transportation, telecommunications, media.
Each industry is critical to sustaining a war of this scale, and each employs millions of Russians. These workers may not hold positions of power or directly participate in combat, yet they are essential to maintaining Russia’s military efforts against Ukraine.
To claim that these individuals are unaware of their roles defies belief, especially since many Russians justify their contributions to the war, citing economic necessity. For a Russian soldier, joining the armed forces is often seen as a job that provides money to support his family, the chance to receive a new car, or the opportunity to bring home a washing machine once used by a family in Ukraine.
For a factory worker, overseeing the production of bullets that will be used against children in Ukraine is just another job. Russian social media is filled with such justifications, underscoring that these millions of individuals are fully aware of their roles in sustaining the war’s destruction.
This immoral behavior must not be normalized, as it contributes to the dangerous acceptance of violence and aggression among a large segment of the population. This widespread approval of “justified” violence, whether through direct or indirect participation, deepens moral corruption and presents significant challenges for societal rehabilitation once the war ends.
By reducing the invasion to “one man’s doing and one man’s problem,” not only does the West fail to fully grasp the situation, but Russian propagandists also benefit by portraying war facilitators as victims and “hostages” of the regime. This distortion of reality, promoted by both the state and opposition, allows Russia to whitewash its image, evade the topic of collective responsibility, and create further distraction and confusion in efforts to end the war and seek justice.
By demanding collective responsibility from Russia, we can dismantle the increasingly popular narrative of “Russians as innocent victims” and acknowledge the active role millions of Russians play in sustaining the war. This shift broadens the focus from Putin alone to the millions contributing to the brutal aggression.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.