Rising dissent in Russia: Growing support for territory return
Almost one-third of Russians agree to return all territories occupied during the war that began in February 2022 to Ukraine to end the fighting, according to a survey conducted by the Levada Center.
The survey shows that 31% of respondents would support President Vladimir Putin's decision if he ends the war on Ukraine's terms. To remind you, Ukraine demands the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from all occupied territories.
14% of Russians are "definitely" ready to support such a development, while another 17% stated they would "probably" support such a solution.
Russians are primarily ready to "return" the territories in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, which Vladimir Putin illegally annexed to Russia in the autumn of 2022.
16% of those surveyed by Levada agree with Kyiv that Russians should return the territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics in the name of peace. However, only 5% described this scenario as "preferred" and 11% as "acceptable."
Dissatisfaction among Russians grows. War has brought "death and sorrow"
New research from the Levada Center indicates that as many as 47% of Russians believe that the invasion of Ukraine brings more negative consequences than positive ones. This is a significant increase compared to data from May 2023, when 41% of respondents gave such a response.
At the same time, the number of people convinced of the war's positive aspects has decreased—from 38% in May last year to 28% currently.
The largest group of critics of military actions comprises women, young people up to 24 years old, residents of small towns with populations of up to 100,000, and those who believe the country is heading in the wrong direction.
The survey showed that the majority of this group (52%) indicated that the war brought "death, sorrow, and suffering to many people." Other reasons for dissatisfaction include losses among the Russian army (21%), problems for the civilian population (7%), and a deteriorating economic situation (18%), including rising prices and significant government spending on military actions.
The survey was conducted between 26 September and 2 October of this year on a representative sample of 1,606 people, including those aged 18 and over. The interviews were conducted in respondents' homes using face-to-face interview methods.
