63% of Russians continue to support war against Ukraine – survey

Russian President Vladimir Putin maintains strong internal support for his regime and its war against Ukraine despite poor economic conditions and living standards in Russia. 

These findings come from a new independent survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, as reported by NORC and the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

American sociologists surveyed 1,046 Russian adults residing in the Russian Federation and Crimea, occupied and annexed by Russia in 2014, using data from Russian mobile operators.

The survey revealed that:

• 67% of participants approve of how Putin conducts foreign policy.
• 58% approve of his domestic policy.
• 66% plan to vote for Putin in the upcoming presidential elections in March.

Despite Russians being dissatisfied with rising prices, which led to a general decline in living conditions, Putin's ratings remain relatively high.

Sociologists also noted that:

• 63% of participants support the war against Ukraine.
• 64% of respondents view the war as a "civilizational struggle between Russia and the West."

In contrast to other independent Russian sociological studies showing a decrease in support for Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this result contrasts with those findings, the Institute for the Study of War highlights.

The survey was conducted in November 2023, with the participation of 1,046 Russian adults. Russian-speaking individuals were surveyed via mobile communication. The statistical margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

In related news, in October, a survey by the Russian analytical service Levada-Center showed that 70% of polled Russians would support their dictator, Vladimir Putin, if he decided to end the war against Ukraine.

At the same time, 55% of surveyed Russian citizens believe that the war should be stopped and peace negotiations should be initiated, while 38% advocate for continuing military actions.

According to a sociological survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, 58% of Ukrainians believe that even if Western aid is significantly reduced, it is still worth continuing military actions to exert pressure on Russian occupiers despite the risks to the territories currently controlled by Ukraine.

Moreover, almost 67% of Ukrainians would not agree to return to the demarcation line of February 24, 2022, instead of restoring borders to the 1991 state, and almost 64% of Ukrainians do not support the idea of direct negotiations with the Russian Federation to achieve peace.