The general level of attention to the Ukrainian events has not changed, while the Russians called the launch of the Oreshnik rocket the main event of last month. The level of support for military operations remains high. The number of supporters of the idea of peace talks is slowly increasing after a decline in August. More than two thirds of the respondents believe that the special operation is progressing successfully. Compared to last year, the proportion of those who are confident that the difficulties associated with the Special Military Operation are “still ahead” has decreased. More than half of the respondents believe that the conflict in Ukraine could escalate into an armed confrontation with NATO. There is growing confidence among the respondents that the use of nuclear weapons in the current conflict can be justified.

Attention to the Ukrainian events has been slowly decreasing over the past few months, so now 51% of respondents are following the events (the sum of the answers is “very carefully” and “quite carefully”), another third of respondents (35%) are following without much attention, 14% are not following at all.

Men (52%), older respondents (66% among those aged 55 and older), respondents with higher education (55%), less well-off respondents (58% among those who barely have enough to eat), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (55%), those who approve of V. Putin’s performance as president (52%), and TV viewers (59%) follow the situation most closely.

Women (49%), young people under 24 (25%), respondents with secondary education and below (46%), more affluent respondents (49% among those who can barely afford clothes and those who can afford durable goods), those who think that things in the country are going in the wrong direction (39%), those who disapprove of the activities of the current president (40%) and those who get information from social networks (45%) follow the events around Ukraine less closely.

According to the open (without prompting) question about what events of the last four weeks are remembered most of all, the largest number of references refers to the Oreshnik strike on Yuzhmash (20%), those or other events related to the Strategic Air Defense Forces were mentioned by 12% of respondents (and if we include the events related to drone attacks and the use of Oreshnik, then one third of respondents – 32% – named events related to the conflict in one way or another). Additionally, respondents mentioned the US elections (8%) and Ukraine’s permission to use long-range weapons provided by Western countries (5%). It is worth noting that a significant proportion of people still could not name any memorable events (41%, in October 45% answered this way).

The level of support for the actions of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine has not changed significantly and remains high – 77% (44% definitely support, 33% rather support). 14% of respondents do not support it (7% definitely do not support it, 9% rather do not support it).

Support for the actions of the Russian military is higher among men (81%), older respondents (82% among those aged 55 and older), Muscovites (82%), respondents with higher education (81%), more affluent respondents (78% among those who can afford durable goods), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (87%), those who approve of V. Putin’s performance as president (84%) and those who trust television as a source of information (87%).

The level of support is lower among women (74%), youth under 24 (59%), respondents with secondary education and below (73%), less well-off respondents (73% of respondents who barely have enough to eat), residents of cities with a population of more than 500 thousand people (74%), those those who believe that things in the country are going the wrong way (46%), those who disapprove of the current president (33%) and those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (36%).

The number of supporters of the idea of peace talks continues to grow after a decrease in August (against the background of events in the Kursk region) – in November 2024, their share was 57%. The share of supporters of the continuation of hostilities is decreasing to 35%.

Women (63%), young people under 24 (70%), those with higher education (60%), less well-off respondents (58% among those who barely have enough to eat and those who barely have enough for clothes), residents of cities with a population of more than 500,000 people (61%), those who think that things in the country are going in the wrong direction (78%), those who disapprove of V. Putin’s performance as president (82%) and those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (68%). Putin’s activities as president (82%) and those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (68%).

About the need to continue military actions, most often men (34%), older respondents (40% among those aged 55 and older), respondents with higher education (40%), more affluent respondents (37% among those, who can afford durable goods), Muscovites (61%), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (42%), those who approve of the incumbent president’s performance (38%), those who trust television and Telegram channels as a source of information (38% each).

Opinions about the difficulties associated with the special operation are also changing, as over the past year and a half, the number of those who believe that the main difficulties are still ahead has decreased (a decrease of 14%). At the same time, the number of those who believe that they are already behind has increased – 15% (an increase of 5%) or we are experiencing them now – 33% (an increase of 6%).

The main difficulties related to the special operation are already behind us, more often said by young people under 24 years old (20%), more affluent respondents (19% among those who can afford durable goods), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (18%), those who approve of V. Putin’s activity as president (17%), those who trust TV and Internet media as a source of information (18% each).

Respondents aged 18-24 and 25-39 (35% in each group), more affluent respondents (35% among those who can afford durable goods), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (36%), those who approve of V. Putin’s activity as president (34%), and those who trust online media as a source of information (39%) are more likely to say that they are going through major difficulties related to the Special Military Operation.

That the main difficulties related to the Special Military Operation are still ahead is more often said by the older respondents (43% among those aged 55 and older), less well-off respondents (47% among those who barely have enough to eat), those who believe that things in the country are going on the wrong track (57%), those who disapprove of the activities of the current president (59%), those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (45%).

Since February 2024, the number of those who believe that the special military operation is progressing successfully has gradually decreased, but in November their share rose again to 70% (in September 2024 – 60%). 15% of the respondents have the opposite opinion.

The opinion that the special operation is progressing successfully is more often expressed by respondents 40 years and older (71%), more affluent respondents (73% of those who can afford durable goods), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (82%), those who approve of V. Putin’s activity as president (77%), those who trust television as a source of information (85%). 

The opinion that the special operation is progressing unsuccessfully is more often voiced by young respondents (16% among respondents under the age of 24), less well-off respondents (18% among those who barely have enough to eat), residents of cities with populations from 100 to 500 thousand people (17%), respondents who believe that things in the country are going the wrong way (46%), those who disapprove of the current president’s activities (53%), those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (27%).

More than half (56%) of Russians surveyed share the opinion that the situation in Ukraine could escalate into an armed conflict between Russia and NATO. This point of view prevails throughout almost all measurements since the beginning of the Special Military Operation, the only exception was the measurement in January 2024, when the opinion about the possibility of the Special Military Operation escalating into an armed conflict between Russia and NATO countries was divided approximately equally.

Over the past year and a half, the share of Russians who believe that the use of nuclear weapons during the current conflict in Ukraine can be justified has been growing – 39% (29% in April 2023), including 11% who “definitely can” and 28% who “rather can.” 45% of respondents say the opposite, including 21% – “definitely can’t”, 24% – “probably can’t”.

The opinion that the use of nuclear weapons in the current conflict in Ukraine can be justified is more often shared by men (42%), respondents aged 40-54 (44%), Muscovites (44%), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (43%), and those who approve of V. Putin’s performance as president (42%).

The opinion that the use of nuclear weapons in the current conflict in Ukraine cannot be justified is more often shared by young people under the age of 24 (58%), residents of cities with a population of more than 500 people (48%), those who believe that things in the country are going the wrong way (55%), those those who disapprove of the current president’s activities (62%).