About half of the respondents continue to follow the Ukrainian events quite closely. Support for the actions of the Russian armed forces also remains at a high level. For the first time in six months, the number of supporters of negotiations has increased significantly (up to 58%). Most of the respondents believe that Russia is more interested in negotiations. Two thirds of respondents still hold the United States and NATO responsible for what is happening, and their conviction has grown over the year. Half of the respondents allows the conflict to escalate into a direct clash between Russia and NATO. Russia’s military actions in Ukraine mainly cause Russians to be proud of Russia (48%) or alarm, fear and horror (33%), these feelings have prevailed among respondents since the beginning of the conflict. The majority of respondents are concerned about the shelling of Russian territories by Ukraine, the threat of the use of nuclear weapons and the supply of Western military equipment. One in three admits that Russia’s use of nuclear weapons during the conflict may be justified.

Attention to Ukrainian events has stabilized after a small surge in March 2024, so 19% of respondents are very closely monitoring the situation around Ukraine, one in three is quite closely, another 31% are following without much attention, 15% of respondents are not following at all.

The situation around Ukraine is most closely monitored by men (58%), older respondents (68% in the age group 55 years and older), as well as television viewers (60%). Women (49%), respondents under the age of 24 (30%), and respondents receiving information from social networks, telegram channels, and YouTube channels (49% each) are less closely monitored.

The level of support for the actions of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine remains high: 44% definitely support, 33% rather support. A total of 17% of respondents does not support the actions of the Russian army.

Respondents aged 55 and over (84%), respondents who barely have enough for clothes and who can afford durable goods (78% each), who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (86%), who approve of the activities of Putin as president (75%), are more likely to support the actions of the Russian army, as well as those who trust information on television (87%).

Respondents under the age of 24 (59%), low-income Russians (69%), those who believe that the country is moving along the wrong path (41%), those who disapprove of the activities of the current president (32%), respondents who trust information from YouTube channels are less likely to support the actions of the Russian military (66%).

Russia’s military actions in Ukraine mainly cause Russians to be proud of Russia (48%) or alarm, fear and horror (33%), these feelings have prevailed among respondents since the beginning of the conflict. Since September last year, the share of Russians who are proud of the country has been gradually growing (an increase of 10%).

More than half of Russians are in favor of holding peace talks (58%, which is the highest indicator, the previous peaks were in October 2022 and November 2023 — 57% each). The number of supporters of the negotiations has increased significantly for the first time in six months, after a decrease at the end of 2023. At the same time, 37% of respondents believe that it is necessary to continue military operations.

Women (64%), young Russians (66% aged 18-24), those who barely have enough to eat (64%), villagers (65%), those who believe that the country is moving on the wrong path declare the opinion on the need to move to peace negotiations more often than others (77%), the respondents who disapprove of the activities of V. Putin as president (75%), those who trust information on television (65%).

The opinion on the continuation of hostilities is more often declared by men (47%), respondents aged 55 years and older (40%), wealthier Russians (40% among those who can afford durable goods), residents of Moscow (56%), respondents who believe that things are going well in the country in the right direction (44%), respondents who approve of the activities of the current president (40%), those who trust information from television (42%).

Over the past year, the opinion of Russians has hardly changed on the question of who is more interested in holding peace talks. Today, as a year ago, about 40% of respondents say that Russia is primarily interested, almost one in four answers that Ukraine, and about 30% of respondents say that both sides are equally interested.

The opinion is more often held that Russia is now more interested in holding peace talks, respondents in the age group 55 years and older (46%), residents of villages and cities up to 100,000 people (47% each), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (43%), those who approves of the activities of V. Putin as president (43%), those who trust information on television.

Respondents under the age of 54 (22% in all age groups), Muscovites (34%), and those who trust information from YouTube channels are more likely to hold the opinion that Ukraine is more interested in negotiations than Russia.

Two thirds of Russians (65%) blame the United States and NATO countries for the deaths and destruction in Ukraine, over the past year the share of respondents with this opinion has increased slightly (by 10%). One in ten considers Ukraine responsible, 8% of respondents – no one in particular, another 6% say that Russia is responsible.

Responsibility for the loss of life and destruction in Ukraine is attributed to the United States and NATO countries primarily by respondents aged 55 and older (74%), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (72%), those who approve of the activities of V. Putin as president (70%), those who trust information on television (74%).

More often than others, they say that Russia is responsible for the deaths and destruction in Ukraine, young Russians (12% aged 18-24), those who believe that the country is moving along the wrong path (20%), those who disapprove of the activities of the current president (31%), those who trusts information from YouTube channels (12%).

Confidence that the situation in Ukraine could escalate into an armed conflict between Russia and NATO countries increased again by June 2024 (after a decrease at the beginning of the year). The proportion of people who hold this opinion roughly corresponds to the level of June last year. More than half of the respondents (58%) today consider an armed conflict between Russia and NATO possible. 29% of respondents say the opposite.

The level of concern about the events in Ukraine among Russians is not decreasing. So, most of the respondents are concerned about the shelling of Russian territories (95% – shelling of areas bordering and not bordering the zone of the Special Military Operation). The respondents are slightly less concerned about the threat of the use of nuclear weapons and the supply of weapons by Western countries to the Ukrainian army (86% each).

In June 2024, the share of Russians who believe that Russia’s use of nuclear weapons during the current conflict may be justified increased to a third of respondents. 52% of the respondents have the opposite opinion.

More often than others, respondents aged 25-39 years, 55 years and older (35%), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (36%), those who approve of the activities of V. Putin as president (36%), those who trust information from television (41%).

The opinion that the use of nuclear weapons cannot be justified is more common among young Russians (63% aged 18-24), those who believe that the country is moving on the wrong path (64%), those who disapprove of the activities of the current president (72%), those who trust information from YouTube channels – 55%.