After a decrease in positive assessments of the country’s affairs and the work of the main state institutions at the end of the summer, the indicators increased. At the same time, the mood of the respondents improved. The top ten politicians who enjoy the trust of the respondents have not changed significantly. The rating of United Russia has increased slightly after a decline in previous months, and the rating is gradually recovering after a prolonged decline over the past year. The support of other parliamentary parties has hardly changed. If the presidential election were held next Sunday, the majority of respondents would vote for V. Putin.
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The conflict with Ukraine: attention, support, attitude to peace negotiations and to contract military service in October 2024
Attention to the Ukrainian events has not changed in recent months: about half of the respondents are closely following the events. The level of support for the military actions remains consistently high. The number of supporters of peace talks continues to grow slowly after a decline in August. If respondents had the opportunity to go back to the past, equal shares of respondents would support or prevent the decision to launch the special military operation. If a family member of the respondent had signed a contract to participate in the special military operation, about 40% would have supported such a decision, but the same number would not have supported it. Those who would approve of such a decision motivated it by the need to protect the homeland and civic duty. And those who would not approve said that they were worried about their loved ones and were in favor of peace.
Ratings of August 2024: assessments of the state of affairs in the country, the mood of respondents, approval of authorities, trust in politicians and parties
In August 2024, there was a slight decrease in positive assessments of the situation in the country. The proportion of respondents experiencing tension, irritation, and fear has increased, but positive moods still prevail. The approval rates for the activities of the president and governors remained virtually unchanged, while the approval rates for the activities of the Government, the Prime Minister and Parliament continued to decline smoothly. The level of support for United Russia has also decreased, and the share of supporters of other parliamentary parties has hardly changed.
June 2024 ratings: assessments of the state of affairs in the country, approval of institutions, trust in politicians
In June, the assessments of the activities of the main state institutions did not change, the majority approve. The share of positive assessments of the situation in the country is also growing. The most positive sentiments are demonstrated by representatives of the oldest age group, more affluent citizens, Muscovites and TV viewers. The level of trust in V. Putin, M. Mishustin, A. Belousov is growing, Sergey Lavrov and Sergei Shoigu are decreasing.
Attitude towards China, Brazil, Turkey, Iran, France, Ukraine, the USA, the EU and the UN
Most Russians have a positive attitude towards China. Positive attitudes also prevail towards Brazil, Turkey and Iran. The European Union, the United States, Ukraine and France are mostly viewed negatively. The attitude towards the UN is usual rather negative, and respondents also have a poor opinion about its influence. Respondents who are positive about the UN explain their position by saying that the organization stands for peace, resolves international issues and protects the interests of smaller countries. The negative opinion about the UN is caused by beliefs in its uselessness, aggression towards Russia, and bias in favor of the West.
Conflict with Ukraine: attention, support, attitude to various terms of a peace agreement in September 2024
In recent months, attention to the situation in Ukraine has been growing. The level of support for the actions of the Russian armed forces remains high. The share of supporters of the negotiations dropped in August, however their number increased in September. If the president had decided to end the military conflict today, the majority of Russians would have supported his decision, but only a third of the respondents would have returned the annexed territories. Half of the respondents believe that the special operation has caused more harm, justifying it with loss of life, military losses, and large expenditures on the Special Military Operation. Less than a third believes that the special operation has brought more benefits, meaning the return of territories, the protection of the Russian-speaking population of Donbass and the strengthening of Russia’s international position. Two thirds of the respondents believe that the special operation is successful, but this number has been decreasing throughout the year. Most Russians are against making concessions to Ukraine. The respondents call the exchange of prisoners of war and an immediate ceasefire the preferred terms of the peace treaty, the majority oppose the return of new territories and Ukraine’s accession to NATO.
Ratings of September 2024: opinions on the state of affairs in the country, the mood of respondents, approval of authorities, trust in politicians and political parties
After a slight decrease in positive opinions on the country’s affairs and the work of the main state institutions last month, attitudes towards them improved slightly. The top ten politicians who enjoy the trust of the respondents have not changed significantly.
Mass perceptions of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Russia and the United States
A comparative study by the Levada Center and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs shows that about half of both Russians and Americans surveyed do not express sympathy for either side of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, however, support for the Israeli side is higher in the United States, and for the Palestinian side in Russia. Russians consider the actions of Hamas unjustified or find it difficult to formulate their attitude, while most Americans consider the actions of Hamas unjustified. At the same time, the majority of Russians consider Israel’s actions unjustified, whereas there is no unequivocal opinion on this issue in American society. About half of the respondents in both countries support the creation of an independent Palestinian state, although in the United States there is also a high proportion of respondents who oppose it. Respondents in Russia place the main responsibility for what is happening in the Middle East on the United States and to a lesser extent on Israel.
The conflict with Ukraine and the attack on the Kursk region: key indicators in August 2024
The general attention to the events of the Special Military Operation has not changed significantly since last month; about half of Russians are more or less closely following this. At the same time, almost all respondents are aware of the events in the Kursk region. In this regard, Russians are most concerned about the deaths of civilians and the very fact of an attack on Russian territory. Most of the respondents do not expect a second wave of mobilisation and do not see the need for it, but concern about this issue has grown. Support for the actions of the Russian Armed Forces still remains high. Over the past month, the number of supporters of peace talks has decreased, while supporters of continued military operations have grown. Over the past year, four out of ten respondents have collected things or money for the participants of the Special Military Operation, and a fifth of the respondents participated in providing assistance to affected residents of border regions.
Public sentiment and assessments of the state of affairs in the country: May 2024
In the last 25 years, Russians have most often said that their mood in recent days has been normal, even. Tension and irritation in society is gradually decreasing and is currently at the lowest level for the entire observation period, at the same time, in May 2024, the maximum indicators of the excellent mood of Russians (16%) were recorded. The majority of Russians believe that things in the country are going in the right direction, bearing in mind the “correctly pursued state policy (both foreign and domestic)”, “social development”, “struggle for peace”. Almost one in five respondents says that the country is moving along the wrong path, referring to “rising prices, small pensions, inflation,” “economic decline,” “irremovability of power, corruption.”