The vast majority of Ukrainians (66%) believe that Russiaʼs goal in the war is the complete occupation of Ukraine, the destruction of its statehood, and the physical genocide of the Ukrainian people.
This is evidenced by a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).
Respondents were asked what goal Russia is currently setting for itself in the war against Ukraine. Of these, 87% are convinced that the Russian Federation will not stop at the already occupied territories, and 66% feel an existential threat. Only 4% believe that Russia only seeks to preserve the already occupied territories, and 3% chose the option that Russia only wants to "denazify" and demilitarize Ukraine.
The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology summarizes that the higher the threat Ukrainians feel, the more they are inclined to continue resistance and reject unacceptable demands.
The survey was conducted from February 14 to March 4, 2025, using telephone interviews in all regions of Ukraine with the participation of 1,029 adult respondents. Formally, under normal circumstances, the statistical error of such a sample did not exceed 4.1% for indicators close to 50%, 3.5% for indicators close to 25%, 2.5% for indicators close to 10%, and 1.8% for indicators close to 5%.
- In November 2024, KIIS recorded a decrease in the share of those who are ready to endure war as long as necessary for the first time since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. At the same time, the majority of Ukrainians — 63% — still claim that they are ready to endure war as long as necessary.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.