Rising calls for peace: Majority of Russians favour talks
The percentage of Russians who support the immediate commencement of negotiations with Ukraine has, for the first time since the war's onset, surpassed half the population, according to a November survey conducted by Russian Field.
According to sociologists, 53% of respondents have expressed support for initiating negotiations, while the percentage of those who wish 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% preferred 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.
Readiness to accept Vladimir Putin's decision to end the war and start negotiations was expressed by 79% of 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 approximately 20% 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 spoke of "successes" on the front lines.
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 initiation of attacks deep into Russia with Western weaponry, have increased the sense of threat to personal safety within society. Forty per cent of respondents declared that they "feel personally threatened." Compared to last summer, their percentage has increased by four 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% fear mobilisation, and 12% fear the death or injury of loved ones.
The most aggressive segment of the "party of war" remains pensioners, who get their information from state television channels. Respondents from the older generation are more often against a truce, 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. In addition to research activities, Russian Field is involved in education, organising lectures and courses with the participation of renowned experts in sociology and political science.
