Miriam Elder, a veteran journalist who spent nearly a decade reporting from Russia, has uncovered a stark warning for Americans opposing Donald Trump: do not grow complacent. In an eye-opening piece for The New York Times, Elder highlights insights from Russian dissident journalists who regret underestimating the creeping dangers of authoritarianism in their own country. Their message is clear—apathy and disengagement can have devastating consequences.
Elder reflects on the political environment in Russia following Vladimir Putin’s return to the presidency in 2012, a period marked by brutal crackdowns on dissent. As protests dwindled and opposition leaders faced prison sentences or exile, much of Russia’s middle class chose to retreat from political life. Rather than continuing to challenge the system, many turned inward, focusing on their careers, families, and personal happiness, while tuning out the broader societal and political decay around them.
This strategy of detachment, however, proved disastrous. In 2022, Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, plunging the region into a catastrophic conflict that left tens of thousands dead and the Russian economy and civil society in shambles.
Ilia Krasilshchik, a Russian journalist Elder interviewed, described how this political apathy enabled Putin’s unchecked rise to absolute power. “We became insular and lost sight of everyone else’s interests,” he admitted. “What I didn’t understand at the time was that it was only the beginning.”
Krasilshchik reflected on his inability to grasp the full extent of Putin’s ambitions during his earlier years in power. With the invasion of Ukraine, he realized too late the magnitude of what had been set in motion. The war was not only a devastating human tragedy but also a turning point that erased what remained of civil society in Russia.
The journalist shared a particularly haunting memory of a conversation with the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who had warned against the dangers of political distraction and disinformation. “Navalny told us everything we needed to hear back then: Don’t let yourself get distracted. Don’t let them lie to you,” Krasilshchik recalled. The advice, he said, now feels like a prophecy that went unheeded.
Elder’s interviews highlight the chilling parallels between the experiences of Russian dissidents and the challenges facing anti-Trump Americans. The message is not just a cautionary tale but a direct call to action: authoritarianism does not consolidate power overnight. It grows slowly, feeding on apathy, division, and the misplaced belief that “it can’t happen here.”
For Americans disillusioned by Trump’s rhetoric and the political fractures within the country, the lesson from Russia is clear: complacency is not a shield, and disengagement only emboldens the forces of authoritarianism. Krasilshchik’s warning carries weight beyond borders: “When you stop fighting, you leave the door wide open for the worst to happen.”
As the United States grapples with its own democratic challenges, the cautionary tale of Russia serves as a stark reminder that vigilance, unity, and active resistance are essential to safeguarding freedom.
