Only 25 percent want war: fewer and fewer Russians support the Ukraine invasion

Eight months after the start of the war, Russian support for the attack on Ukraine is waning.

Only 25 percent want war: fewer and fewer Russians support the Ukraine invasion

Eight months after the start of the war, Russian support for the attack on Ukraine is waning. According to a survey, more and more Russians want peace negotiations with Ukraine. One reason for the change of heart may have been mobilization, a report says.

Against a background of constant defeats at the front and partial mobilization, Russian authorities have noted a drop in public support for the war. According to the Internet portal Meduza, in an opinion poll commissioned by the Kremlin, only 25 percent of Russians are in favor of continuing the war. On the other hand, 55 percent were in favor of peace negotiations with Ukraine. According to the report, this means that supporters of peace have almost doubled in six months.

The poll numbers are broadly in line with the results of an October poll by the Levada Center, the only major independent sociological center in Russia. According to the report, 57 percent of respondents were "for" or "tend to be" peace talks and only 27 percent were "for" and "tender to" continuing hostilities with Ukraine. In July 2022, the polls painted a different picture: According to Meduza, only 30 percent of Russians back then were in favor of peace with Ukraine.

For this reason, the Russian authorities plan to limit polls on the war, according to two Meduza sources close to the presidential administration. "Everything is possible now. It's better not to do it," said the source close to the Kremlin. One of the political technologists working with the presidential administration also said that now it is better "not to add dynamism" to the Russian attitude to the war.

Director of the Levada Center Denis Volkov, speaking to Meduza, points out that the number of supporters of negotiations with Ukraine began to grow after the September 21 mobilization announcement. The reason is the unwillingness to personally participate in the hostilities. Support for the fighting remains high. But the desire to participate personally is very low in the population.

In addition, from the outset, the support should be seen against the background that people perceive it as something that is none of their business - along the lines of: "Life goes on and gets even better." Now the risks have grown and people want negotiations to start, Volkov said. At the same time, the majority of Russians are leaving the decision to the authorities for the time being: "We would like to, but they will decide."