MOSCOW, 30 May 2022. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey describing the attitudes of Russians towards Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.

Over the recent three months public support for the special military operation has been stable: 72% of Russians support the decision to conduct Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine; 18% oppose it; 9% remain undecided.  

Understanding of the goals has been the same too:  mainly to protect Russia, to disarm Ukraine and not to allow NATO to deploy military bases in Ukraine (40%). One in five considers that the main goal is to change Ukraine’s political course and to denazify it (20%); 18% think the main goal is to protect the population of Donbas (DNR and LNR); 7% say that the main goal is to occupy Ukraine and incorporate it into Russia.

The protest mood levels have decreased by another 4 p.p. since March 2022: based on May 26 data, only 14% of respondents think that mass protests are likely to happen in the area (vs 26% in May 2021). Intentions to express personal protest have not changed compared to March: 11% of Russians would personally take part in protest actions; 84% are likely not to take part in protests if they take place.

Russian nationwide VCIOM-Sputnik surveys were conducted on February 25, 27, March 3, 17, 24, April 12, 24, May 12, 26, 2022. A total of 1,600 of Russians aged 18 and older took part in each survey. Results are based on telephone interviews. Survey method: telephone interviews using a stratified random sample based on a complete list of Russian mobile phone numbers. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.