The Russian authorities limit the conduct of open social surveys of the population about the attitude to the war in Ukraine. This was reported by the portal “Medusa” with reference to sources close to the Kremlin.
research, which previously regularly published the All -Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM) will become closed. The reason is that the attitude of society towards military operations has changed sharply for the ninth month of invasion, sources say. In particular, a closed survey, which was conducted in November, conducted the Federal Security Service (FSO), showed that only 25% of respondents support the continuation of the war, while in July there were 57%. The share of peace negotiations from 32% increased to 55%.
Sociologists explain the sharp surplus of dissatisfaction with the war by the declaration of mobilization in Russia in September. Denis Volkov, director of the non-state research organization Levada Center, explained that the number of Russians who advocate negotiations with Ukraine began to grow rapidly after September 21.
“Support [hostilities] remains high, but the desire to personally participate in people is quite small in this,” he explains. From the very beginning, people perceived the war as something not related to them, and now the risks have grown, and although people want negotiations, the decision is still given to the authorities of the authorities, Volkov continues: “We would like, but they will decide.”
Sociologist Grigory Yudin, in a conversation with the publication, also connected the growth of the number of supporters of negotiations with mobilization. According to Yudin, the dissatisfaction with the course of the war can be called, rather, “apathetic.” Nevertheless, it does not exclude the possibility of anti -war protests.
The Kremlin does not believe that a shift in public mood can lead to protests, sources of Medusa say. Nevertheless, they say, state and pro -government media have already received an indication not to pedal a military topic and focus on a “positive agenda.” The situation is better not to warm up and not annoy people once again, ”says the source.