Attention to the Ukrainian events has been decreasing in recent months. The level of support for the actions of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine remains high. Over a half of the respondents believe that peace negotiations should be initiated, and about a third believe that military operations should be continued. There is no clear opinion in society about whether the “special military operation” has brought more benefit or harm. Respondents see benefits in the return of territories, the liberation of people, import substitution, and strengthening Russia’s authority in the world. The harm lies in the death of people. Most of the respondents believe that the veterans of the Special Military Operation are treated with respect in society. The respondents believe that after the completion of the “special military operation”, its participants will first of all be able to find themselves in military affairs, law enforcement agencies or in the field of youth education.

The overall level of attention to Ukrainian events is gradually decreasing after an increase in January this year: about half of the respondents – 49% – are closely monitoring the situation around Ukraine (the sum of the responses is “very carefully” and “quite carefully”), another third of respondents (31%) were following without much attention, and 19% were not following at all.

The most attentive followers of the events around Ukraine are men (52%), older respondents (65% among respondents aged 55 and older), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (56%), those who approve of V. Putin’s activity as president (51%), those who support the actions of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine (57%), those who believe that now it is necessary to continue military actions rather than to move to peace talks (73%).

Women (46%), respondents aged 25-39 (31%), those who believe that things in the country are going the wrong way (36%), those who disapprove of the current president’s activities (36%), and those who do not support the actions of the current president follow the events in Ukraine with less attention. There are Russian military personnel in Ukraine (26%), and those who believe that peace negotiations should be initiated now (40%).

In April, half of the respondents did not mention the events that they remembered (50%), however, the events related to the conflict were mentioned more often than other events in March: the Special Military Operation, the events in Ukraine – 7%, the negotiations between Russia and the United States – 5%, the Easter truce and the successes in the Special Military Operation – 3%, drone attacks on Russian territory – 2%. Easter and Lent are in second place in terms of the number of mentions. At the same time, there were a relatively large number of different events in public life (not related to politics) among the responses – Ovechkin’s record, natural disasters around the world, the death of the Pope, various holidays and preparations for May 9 each scored 1% of mentions.

The level of support for the actions of the Russian armed forces in April was 75% (including 43% – definitely support, and 32% – rather support). 15% do not support the actions of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine (8% definitely do not support, 7% rather do not support).

The level of support for the Russian military in Ukraine is higher among the following groups: men (79%), older respondents (82% among respondents aged 55 and older), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (86%), those who approve of V. Putin’s activity as president (82%), those who trust television as a source of information (85%), those who believe that military operations should continue now (93%).

The level of support for the Russian military in Ukraine is lower in the following groups: young people under 24 (68%), those who believe that things in the country are going the wrong way (51%), those who disapprove of the current president (36%), those who trust YouTube channels as a source There is no information (59%), and those who believe that peace negotiations should be initiated now (73%).

The opinion on the continuation of hostilities has not changed significantly over the past four months: more than half of the respondents (61%) believe that peace negotiations should now proceed, and one in three (30%) says that it is necessary to continue hostilities.

The share of supporters of peace talks is higher among women (68%), respondents in the age group of 25-39 years old (73%), respondents with secondary education and below (68%), residents of cities with populations of up to 100 thousand people and from 100 to 500 thousand people (44% and 43% respectively), those who consider the direction of affairs in the country wrong (77%), those who do not approve of V. Putin’s activity as president (73%), those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (74%), those who do not support the actions of Russian armed forces in Ukraine (86%), and those who do not support the actions of Russian armed forces in Ukraine (86%).

The share of supporters of continued military operations is higher among men (40%), respondents aged 55 and older (40%), residents of Moscow (46%), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (37%), those who approve of the activities of the current president (32%), those who trust television as a source of information (36%), those who support the actions of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine (38%).

There is no clear opinion among Russians about whether conducting the special military operation has brought Russia more benefit or harm: four out of ten respondents believe that more harm, and one in three – more benefit, another 28% found it difficult to answer.

Most often the opinion that the special military operation was beneficial for Russia was expressed by men (41%), older respondents (37% among older respondents), respondents with higher education (36%), more affluent respondents (37% among those who can afford durable goods), residents of Moscow and cities with a population of 100 to 500 thousand people (37% each), those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (42%), those who approve of the activities of V. Putin as president (36%), those who trust television as a source of information (42%), those who support the actions of the Russian Armed Forces (42%), those who believe that military actions should now be continued (59%).

Women (44%), young people under 24 (46%), respondents with secondary education and below (47%), and less well-off respondents (44% among those who believe that conducting the special military operation did more harm to Russia. Those who barely have enough to eat), residents of rural areas and towns with populations under 100 thousand people (31% each), those who think that things in the country are going the wrong way (73%), those who do not approve of V. Putin’s activity as president (79%), those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (53%), those who do not support the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine (78%), and those who think that now it is necessary to move to peaceful negotiations rather than to continue military actions (53%).

Those who believe that the Special Military Operation has brought more benefits to Russia more often mean that such benefits were “expansion/return of territory/new regions” – 30%, “liberation/ saving/ protecting people” – 16%, “economic recovery” – 15%, “strengthening Russia’s authority on the world stage” – 13% and “protecting of Russia’s interests/ increasing defense capability” – 11%.

Those who believe that the Special Military Operation has caused more harm to Russia most often mean “loss of life/many victims” (73%) or mention “economic decline/ inflation/ falling living standards” (19%).

According to the majority of respondents (60%), veterans of the Special Military Operation are now treated with respect, another 13% believe that with sympathy, 6% – with admiration, 3% – with fear, one in ten – without special feelings.

Those who believe that veterans of the special military operation are now treated with respect in society are those who believe that things in the country are going in the right direction (67%), those who approve of V. Putin’s activity as president (65%), those who trust television as a source of information (69%), and those who believe that military operations should be continued now (66%).

More often than others, they believe that the society now treats the Special Military Operation veterans with sympathy, those who believe that things in the country are going the wrong way (20%), those who disapprove of the activities of the current president (25%), those who believe that peace negotiations should now proceed, rather than to continue military operations (24%).

More often than others, they believe that veterans of the military are now treated without special feelings in society, those who believe that things in the country are going the wrong way (22%), those who disapprove of the activities of the current president (23%), those who trust YouTube channels as a source of information (32%) those who believe that peace negotiations should now be initiated rather than continuing military operations (15%).

One in five respondents believes that those who have returned from the special military operation can primarily apply their skills and life experience in professional military formations (21%), 17% of respondents think that such people can apply their skills and life experience in the field of law enforcement and youth education, one in ten believes that in law enforcement agencies the authorities and 1% are in business, entrepreneurial activity, another 18% believe that in any business.

The opinion that those who returned from the special military operation can primarily apply their skills and life experience in professional military formations is more common among older respondents (21%), less well-off respondents (19%), as well as rural residents (19%). The opinion that such people will be able to find themselves in the field of law enforcement is more common among young people under 24 (21%), as well as residents of Moscow and cities with a population of 500,000 or more (21% each).