Growing number of Russians favour peace talks with Ukraine
The percentage of Russians who support the immediate start of negotiations with Ukraine has, for the first time since the beginning of the war, exceeded half the population, according to a November survey conducted by Russian Field.
According to sociologists, 53% of respondents have expressed support for entering into negotiations, while the percentage of those who want to continue military actions has dropped to 36%.
The highest result since the beginning of the surveys
"The percentage of supporters of continuing the military operation has reached its lowest level, while the percentage of supporters for negotiations has reached its highest level throughout the whole observation period," writes Russian Field. For comparison, in February, 49% wanted negotiations, and 40% wanted war. By the summer of 2023, the "party of war" in society outnumbered the "party of peace."
The highest percentage of war supporters was recorded by sociologists at the very beginning of the invasion: 54% in April and May 2022. Since then, this metric has systematically declined.
A readiness to accept Vladimir Putin's decision to end the war and start negotiations was expressed by 79% of the respondents. This is also a record for the entire survey period — 13 percentage points higher than in the summer of 2023.
The majority of Russians (63%) still believe that the war is progressing "favourably" for the Russian army, which has managed to occupy one-fifth of Ukraine's territory. However, compared to the summer, the public's confidence in the armed forces has diminished: in June, a record 69% of Russians talked about "successes" on the front.
Russians fear for their safety
According to the survey results, drone attacks, which have become a daily reality, paralysing airports, shelling border areas, and the onset of attacks deep into Russia using Western weaponry, have increased the sense of threat to personal safety within society. 40% of respondents declared that they "feel personally threatened." Compared to last summer, their percentage increased by 4 percentage points.
"Respondents most commonly fear drone attacks," notes Russian Field: 27% of participants chose this answer. Another 18% indicated that they fear "shelling" and "inbound attacks," 17% mobilisation, and 12% death or injury of loved ones.
The most aggressive part of the "party of war" remains pensioners, who get their information from state television channels. Respondents of the older generation are more often against a truce agreement, calling military actions "successful" and claiming that the country is "moving in the right direction."
Russian Field is an independent research group from Russia, specialising in socio-political and marketing analyses. The organisation conducts both quantitative and qualitative studies, providing comprehensive analyses of social sentiments, political preferences, and market trends. Apart from research activities, Russian Field is involved in education, organising lectures and courses with the participation of renowned experts in sociology and political science.
