Mass assessments of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict are stable. More than half of the respondents are monitoring the situation quite closely. Most support the actions of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Half of the respondents believe that it is necessary to move on to peace negotiations (43% are in favor of continuing military operations, their share has been growing in recent months). However, the majority is not ready to make concessions regarding Ukraine and this share is growing. Russians consider the exchange of prisoners of war and a ceasefire to be acceptable conditions for signing a peace agreement, while the return of new regions and Ukraine’s accession to NATO are completely unacceptable. If there was an opportunity to go back in time and cancel or support the start of Special Military Operation, slightly more than a third of the respondents would reverse this decision (their share has decreased slightly in recent months).

More than half of the respondents (55%) closely monitor the situation around Ukraine to one degree or another (very carefully – 19%, quite carefully – 36%).

The situation is monitored more often by respondents of the older age group (55 years and older) – 69%, those who trust television as a source of information – 62%, villagers – 60%, those who approve of the activities of V. Putin as president – 57%.

The fact that they do not monitor the situation at all was more often said by the youngest respondents (18-24 years old) – 23%, YouTube viewers – 23%, residents of small towns (less than 100 thousand people) – 14%, those who disapprove of the activities of V. Putin as president – 17%.

The majority of respondents (79%) support the actions of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

Respondents of the older age group (55 years and older) are more likely to speak about supporting the actions of the Armed Forces of Russia – 83%, those who trust television as a source of information – 87%, residents of Moscow – 85%, those who approve of the activities of V. Putin as president – 83%.

The fact that they do not monitor the situation at all was more often said by the youngest respondents (18-24 years old) – 26%, YouTube viewers – 25%, residents of small towns (less than 100 thousand people) – 17%, those who disapprove of the activities of V. Putin as president – 54%.

Half of the respondents (50%) are of the opinion that it is necessary to start peace negotiations, 43% say that it is necessary to continue military operations.

Respondents aged 40-54 are more likely to talk about the need to continue military operations – 49%, those who trust television as a source of information – 49%, residents of Moscow – 58%, those who approve of the activities of V. Putin as president – 46%.

Younger respondents (18-24 years old and 25-39 years old) – 56% each, YouTube viewers – 61%, villagers – 54%, those who disapprove of V.Putin’s activities as president – 65% – said more often that it is necessary to start peace negotiations.

As part of the survey, a question was repeatedly asked about the hypothetical possibility of going back in time and supporting or canceling the start of the Special Military Operation. Half of the respondents said they would support the start of the Special Military Operation (+ 7% compared to the last measurement in October 2023).

Respondents aged 55 and older – 57%, those who trust television as a source of information – 57%, residents of Moscow – 61%, those who approve of the activities of V. Putin as president (54%) were more likely to say that they would support the start of their own.

Younger respondents (18-24 years old) – 49%, YouTube viewers – 53%, residents of small towns (less than 100 thousand people) – 43%, those who disapprove of the activities of V. Putin as president – 68%, were more likely to say that they would cancel the beginning of the Special Military Operation.

Three quarters of respondents (76%) believe that Russia should not make concessions to Ukraine for the sake of ending the Special Military Operation and signing a peace agreement. 17% say that Russia should make concessions. This ratio has remained virtually unchanged over the past year since February 2023.

More often they said that Russia should not make concessions, respondents aged 40-54 years – 79%, those who trust television as a source of information – 83%, residents of Moscow – 87%, those who approve of the activities of V. Putin as president – 82%.

Younger respondents (18-24 years old) – 23%, YouTube viewers – 27%, rural residents – 19%, those who disapprove of V. Putin’s activities as president – 45% – said more often that Russia should make concessions.

The question was asked for the third time about which conditions of concluding a peace agreement are preferable and which are unacceptable, and the opinion on the ceasefire, the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of the Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples’ Republics to Ukraine has changed little: the vast majority of respondents consider the exchange of prisoners of war preferable or permissible (94%), the ceasefire is considered preferable or permissible more half (60%) of the respondents, and three quarters of the respondents consider the return of the Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples’ Republics unacceptable (74%).

According to two other conditions, opinion in society has changed – so, since February 2023, the share of respondents who consider the return of the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions unacceptable has increased by 7 percentage points (73% in May 2024), and the share of respondents who consider Ukraine’s accession to NATO unacceptable (83% in May 2024) has increased by 7 percentage points.

Older respondents (55 years and older) – 31% – most often speak about the inadmissibility of a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Respondents aged 55 and older speak about the inadmissibility of the return of the Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples’ Republics a little more often than representatives of other age groups (79%), the same opinion is held by those who approve of the activities of V.Putin as president – 79%.

Older respondents (55 years and older) and those who approve of the president’s activities are also more likely to speak about the inadmissibility of the return of the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions – 75% and 78%, respectively, and the same groups speak about the inadmissibility of Ukraine’s accession to NATO – 84% and 86%, respectively.

The young respondents (18-24 years old) and those who disapprove of the activities of V.Putin as president. are more likely to talk about the permissibility of returning new regions. 31% of respondents aged 18-24 (9% – preferably) and 33% of respondents who disapprove of the president’s activities say that the return of the Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples’ Republics is acceptable (including 19% who rate this condition as preferable). The possibility of returning to the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions is allowed by 27% of the respondents of the younger age group (including 6% – preferably) and 40% of those who disapprove of the president’s activities (including 28% – preferably). 16% of respondents aged 18-24 (3% – preferably) and 19% of respondents who disapprove of the president’s activities (including 3% – preferably) spoke about the admissibility of Ukraine’s accession to NATO as conditions of the peace agreement.