Belief in Russia's success in Ukraine falls to lowest level since 2022
Photo: Russians (Getty Images)
The share of Russians who believe the war against Ukraine is going well has fallen to 50%, the lowest level since the start of the full-scale invasion, according to a survey by the Levada Center.
According to the pollsters, only 8% of respondents in July described the course of the war as "very successful," while another 42% said it was "somewhat successful."
Overall, the combined share of Russians who believe the invasion is successful has fallen by 19 percentage points over the past year.
The previous record low was recorded in the fall of 2022, following Russia's mobilization campaign. At that time, 53% of respondents viewed the invasion as successful, including 9% who called it "very successful" and 44% who said it was "somewhat successful."
Meanwhile, 28% of Russians now believe the war is not going well. Of those, 8% described it as "very unsuccessful," while 20% said it was "somewhat unsuccessful."
That negative figure was higher only in November 2022, when it reached 32%.
Recently, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russians are showing growing interest in ending the war against Ukraine. According to the think tank, Ukrainian strikes, which Russia's air defenses failed to prevent, have contributed to the shift in public sentiment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval rating has fallen to its lowest level since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine.
The main factors behind the decline include the blocking of Telegram, restrictions on mobile internet access, rising prices, and growing public fatigue with the war.
