There are more supporters of negotiations with Ukraine than supporters of continuing the Northern Military District – Kommersant

According to the latest survey by the independent research group Russian Field, dedicated to the attitude of Russians towards the special military operation (SVO) in Ukraine, 48% of respondents are in favor of a transition to peace negotiations, and 39% want the continuation of the SVO. The share of supporters of peace negotiations exceeded the percentage of those who would like to continue the special operation, for the first time in the entire period of Russian Field’s research on this topic – since April 2022.

The survey was conducted October 21–29 by telephone. 1611 people took part in it. The sample was a quota sample, representative by gender and age within the Russian Federation and federal districts. The maximum error is 2.45%. Pollsters note a growing number of refusals to respond to their questions, but say procedures to ensure a national sample are being followed.

Men and respondents over 45 years of age are more often in favor of continuing hostilities, while women and respondents under 45 years of age are in favor of negotiations. Among the conditions of the peace agreement (this question was open-ended, that is, respondents themselves offered several answer options) the most often mentioned were a return to peaceful life/cessation of bloodshed (10%), recognition of the DPR and LPR (9%), Kherson and Zaporozhye regions ( 7%) territories of Russia, annexation of other territories (6%) and capitulation of Ukraine (6%). 3% of respondents were in favor of peace on any terms, a return to the 1991 borders and the withdrawal of troops from Ukraine.

47% of respondents are confident that the people around them mostly support the SVO, while 33% hold the opposite opinion; 8% believe that both positions occur approximately equally, and 12% found it difficult or refused to answer. Most of the opponents of the military operation (54%) are surrounded by respondents aged 18–29. Women have more acquaintances who do not support the military operation (37%) than men (29%).

When asked whether they would cancel the decision to start a SVO if they had the opportunity to do so by going back in time, 49% of respondents answered negatively and 35% answered positively. Finally, assessing current events during the special operation, 56% of respondents said that it was going well for the Russian army, while 25% disagreed with this.

Previous Russian Field research showedthat in the minds of the overwhelming majority of Russians, victory in the Northern Military District is in one way or another connected with the unconditional defeat of Ukraine, and almost a quarter of respondents are ready to consider the annexation and assignment of new territories to the Russian Federation as such a result. 58% of potential voters considerthat Russian parties should support the military operation.

Laura Keffer