In early spring, the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly upset Putin's plans to stage several events designed to reinforce his legitimacy. Quarantine measures imposed by local officials helped to stem the spread of the virus, but the consequences of those measures included serious economic fallout and discontent. Now, many of these measures have been abruptly lifted, and the country is preparing to proceed with a large military parade as well as a major constitutional vote despite risks that these events might pose.

How are Russians reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic and the government's performance in response to it? In this week's episode of the PONARS Eurasia podcast, Maria Lipman chats with Samuel Greene and Ella Paneyakh to learn more about public perception regarding the COVID pandemic in Russia.