A N A LY S I S DIVIDES BEHIND THE FACADE OF UNITY Series“The Russian Crisis”. Paper#4 Greg Yudin February 2023 Despite the image of national unity that the Russian govern­ment strives to project, Russia is a fundamentally divided society, ridden by extreme inequalities and increasing polarization. War magnifies territorial inequali ­ties in Russia, with the poorest regions being more affected by mobilization and experiencing resource shortages. Pressure from war limits the ability of the government to con­ceal and lull major inequalities, opening the room for demands for more justice within the country.