Chronicles 6
Victory or peace? How the level of support
for the war has changed
From June 29 to July 5, we conducted the 6th wave of our research to see the turning point in Russians’ attitude towards the war with Ukraine.
The level of support for the war has dropped by 9 percent points, or 14%, reaching a historic minimum of 55%.
Since mid-May, the number of the “special operation” "supporters" decreased from 64% to 55%, which amounts to 14% in relative terms. Thus, 1 in 7 “supporters” of the “special operation” no longer “supported” it, started to doubt it, or refused to answer the question.
Interestingly, the number of those who get information from government-controlled media has equally dropped by 9 percent points.
What could change your attitude?
We asked the remaining war supporters what could change their attitude towards the war.
The most popular answers were the following:
23%
the war dragging on the army’s unprofessionalism
18%
If lies or new facts about the “special operation” turn up
6%
Treason in the Russian Army
5%
If mobilizations or a fully-fledged / nuclear war starts
4%
If the war turns out violent
Mass killings/genocide against the Ukrainians
20%
Russia’s defeat
Unprofitable peace treaty
14%
Huge losses among civilians
and the military
6%
If the “operation” involves me or my relatives
6%
Worsening of living standards Сoup d'etat
1%
Feeling of the war’s injustice
Disappointment
Are the Russians ready to financially support the war?
Only 8.4% of the respondents claimed to be ready to give more than 10% of their income to the army. 63.4% said they were ready to give a Jack squat, that is, nothing.
That comes as no surprise, since 56% of the respondents stated they had to cut on food due to the price growth, 39% said their family’s income had decreased, and 12% reported they or someone from their family had lost their job.
Anxiety increases
Due to the “special operation”, 25.7% of the Russians seized baing friends with some of their close ones or relatives.
43% admitted having depression, anxiety, or panic attacks (the number is about 10 percent points higher than it has been throughout the other months of war).
Do the Russians crave victory?
Only 3.3% of the Russians crave “national pride”, “acquisition of territories”, “strengthening of Russia’s positions”, or “victory over nazis.”
55% of the respondents said, if Russia won the war, the victory would not benefit them personally in any way.
28.5% believe that Russia’s possible victory would bring them “peace,” “moral satisfaction,” “trips to the relatives in Ukraine/other post-soviet states,” “security,” normalisation of the economic situation,” “sanctions' relief,” “friendship with neighbours,” “coming back home of all the loved ones”.
In other words, the Russians want back everything they had before the war.
This means, what they really crave is not victory, it is peace.