UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 646 - NOVEMBER 30, 2023

A recent Russian opinion poll shows that the number of Russians who unconditionally support the war in Ukraine has almost halved since February 2023 and that more Russians are in favor of than against a withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine.

The independent Russian opinion research institute Chronicles states that the data from its telephone survey from October 17 to 22, 2023 indicated that the number of "consistent" war supporters - i.e. those who expressed their support for the war, did not support a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine without Russia achieving its war goals, and believed that Russia should prioritize military spending - decreased from 22 percent in February 2023 to 12 percent in October 2023. Chronicles noted that 40 percent of respondents supported a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine without Russia achieving its war goals, and that this number remained constant at about 39 to 40 percent throughout the year 2023.

Chronicles notes that 33 percent of respondents did not support a Russian withdrawal and favored a continuation of the war, and that this number decreased steadily from 47 percent in February 2023 to 39 percent in July 2023. A survey by the independent Russian opinion research institute Levada Center, published on October 31, found that 55 percent of respondents believe Russia should engage in peace negotiations, while 38 percent are in favor of continuing the war.

The complete Russian Offensive Update 646 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

UNDERSTANDING WAR