A total of 78% of Ukrainians recently surveyed reject the transfer to Russia of territories controlled by the Ukrainian government.
That’s according to an Omnibus poll run by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology on May 15 – June 3, Ukrinform reports.
The study shows that, if it came to the official recognition of individual territories as part of the Russian Federation, the vast majority of respondents (68%) would be against the move. Some 24% are ready to accept the decision (KIIS notes that this refers to “individual territories”, not all occupied territories; depending on areas, there may be significant differentiation).
Also, the absolute majority of respondents, 78%, reject the transfer to Russia of territories currently controlled by Ukraine. Only 15% of respondents would be ready to accept the move.
The only option allowing room for discussion, KIIS emphasizes, is to accept Russian control de facto without a de jure recognition. Even in this case, 43% of respondents would be ready to accept it while 48% are categorically against it.
However, as other KIIS polls have shown, if the “peace plan” includes security guarantees and other elements critical for Ukraine’s future, more than half or respondents may accept such a scenario for ending the war, albeit without enthusiasm.
Thus, sociologists note, from the public opinion perspective, any option that would include the official recognition of Ukrainian territories as part of Russia or, even more so, the transfer of territories under Ukraine’s control to Russia would be rejected.
However, Ukrainians maintain healthy flexibility and, even in the context of territorial control, stand ready to discuss a compromise option of recognizing de facto Russian control without its de jure recognition.
The survey was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers and was attended by 2,004 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older who, at the time of the survey, lived in the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government.
The survey involved computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) based on a random sample of cell phone numbers, covering by 2,004 Ukrainian citizens aged 18 and older who, at the time of the survey, lived in the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government.
Formally, under normal circumstances, the statistical sampling error does not exceed 2.9%. In war conditions, besides the specified formal error, a certain systematic deviation shall be added.
KIIS believes that the results obtained remain highly representative, allowing for a fairly reliable analysis of public sentiment.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, referring to the KIIS, 52% of Ukrainians surveyed are categorically against any territorial concessions to Russia.
Source: Poll: 78% of Ukrainians reject idea of handing Russia lands not currently under Moscow’s control
