67% of Russians reportedly support war in Ukraine – ISW

A Russian government poll indicates that, despite increasing economic challenges and military setbacks, a majority of the Russian population continues to support the war against Ukraine. However, experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have raised questions about the credibility of these findings.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported this.

Experts from the Institute for the Study of War report that, according to a survey by the Kremlin-controlled All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM):

• 67% of Russians surveyed support the war against Ukraine,
• 65% believe that the fighting is "going well" for Russia.

The director of political research at the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM), Mikhail Mamonov, noted that the public wants a quick end to the conflict and supports measures that will contribute to this.

At the same time, he acknowledged the presence of disappointment among the population due to military setbacks, in particular:

• Ukrainian invasions of the Kursk region,
• the slow advance of Russian troops through the territory of Ukraine,
• economic difficulties.

"VCIOM's findings likely reflect Kremlin views and narratives and likely inflate the level of public support for the war, however. 

These results come amid rising casualties, Russian command controversies, and immense economic strain on the Russian economy during the war," the ISW report says.

ISW key findings:

• Ukrainian forces launched a new series of battalion-sized mechanized assaults in the Kursk region and advanced up to five kilometers behind Russian lines southeast of Sudzha, Kursk region on February 6.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin praised elite Russian VDV and naval infantry formations defending the Kursk region on February 5, highlighting the fact that the Ukrainian incursion has pinned about a combined arms army's worth of Russian troops in the Kursk region since August 6, 2024.
• Ukrainian officials provided additional details about Ukraine's operation in the Kursk region in honor of the six-month anniversary of the incursion.
• A Russian state-run poll suggests that the Russian public maintains a high level of support for the war in Ukraine despite mounting challenges.
• North Korea appears to be using its alliance with Russia to leverage the war in Ukraine as a testing ground to refine its missile technology and broader military capabilities.
• Ukrainian forces conducted a strike against an air base in Krasnodar Krai on the night of February 5 to 6 as a part of an ongoing strike campaign against Russian defense industrial enterprises and oil refineries.
• Ukraine's Western partners continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Deputy Minister of Transport Dmitry Bakanov to replace Yuri Borisov as head of the state-owned Russian space agency Roscosmos on February 6.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Kursk region and recaptured lost positions near Kurakhove.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Kupiansk, Chasiv Yar, and Kurakhove.
• Russian authorities continue efforts to increase social benefits for Russian military personnel likely to support ongoing recruitment efforts.

As of January 2024, 63% of Russians continued to support the war in Ukraine despite the poor economic conditions and standard of living in the Russian Federation.