This survey was carried out from September 26 to October 2, 2019 with a representative sample of all Russian urban and rural residents. The sample comprised 1601 people ages 18 or older from 137 localities in 50 regions of the Russian Federation. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. The answer distribution is presented as percentages of the number of participants along with data from previous surveys.
The statistical error of these studies for a selection of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:
3.4% for indicators around 50%
2.9% for indicators around 25%/75%
2.0% for indicators around 10%/90%
1.5% for indicators around 5%/95%
The results of public opinion research demostrating Ukrainian residents’ attitudes toward Russians are from the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) [1].
- From February to September 2019 the number of Russian citizens who rate their overall attitude to Ukraine as good increased by one and a half. At present, 56% of Russian citizens declared having a positive attitude toward the neighboring country. This is the highest indicator in the “post-Crimea” period beginning in April 2014 (see the “Indicators” section on the Levada Center site. From February to September 2019, the attitudes of Ukrainian citizens toward Russia did not significantly change.
- In September 2019, the attitudes of Russian citizens toward Ukraine converged with the attitudes of Russian citizens toward Ukraine (due to growth in the number of Russian Federation residents with positive attitudes), although, earlier, the level of “positive” attitudes toward the neighboring country was higher among Ukrainian citizens.
- In Russian public opinion, there is a decline in the number of respondents who want to close the borders with Ukraine and stop granting visas to Ukrainians. Support for this opinion has decreased over the last year from one third (32%) to one fourth (23%) of respondents.
IN GENERAL, WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ATTITUDE TOWARD UKRAINE? (opinions of Russian residents — data from the Levada Center)
| Very positive | Generally positive | Generally negative | Very negative | It is difficult to say | |
| Sep. 19 | 9 | 47 | 19 | 12 | 13 |
| Feb. 19 | 4 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 10 |
| Nov. 18 | 3 | 25 | 31 | 29 | 11 |
| Sep. 18 | 3 | 30 | 32 | 23 | 12 |
| Jul. 18 | 4 | 33 | 29 | 20 | 15 |
| Mar. 18 | 2 | 31 | 35 | 20 | 12 |
| Jan. 18 | 3 | 32 | 34 | 13 | 18 |
| Dec. 17 | 2 | 26 | 39 | 17 | 17 |
| Sep. 17 | 3 | 29 | 33 | 20 | 15 |
| May 17 | 2 | 24 | 39 | 20 | 15 |
| Mar. 17 | 3 | 31 | 36 | 20 | 11 |
| Jan. 17 | 2 | 31 | 39 | 15 | 13 |
| Nov. 16 | 3 | 30 | 35 | 16 | 16 |
| Sep. 16 | 2 | 24 | 38 | 18 | 17 |
| Jul. 16 | 2 | 29 | 36 | 22 | 11 |
| Jun. 16 | 4 | 37 | 33 | 11 | 16 |
| May 27-30, 2016 | 4 | 35 | 37 | 10 | 13 |
| May 22-25, 2016 | 2 | 24 | 45 | 18 | 12 |
| Mar. 16 | 2 | 23 | 42 | 22 | 11 |
| Jan. 16 | 2 | 26 | 37 | 22 | 14 |
| Nov. 15 | 2 | 25 | 42 | 21 | 10 |
| Sep. 15 | 4 | 29 | 36 | 20 | 11 |
| May. 15 | 3 | 23 | 36 | 23 | 14 |
| Mar. 15 | 3 | 28 | 34 | 21 | 13 |
| Nov. 14 | 3 | 25 | 40 | 19 | 12 |
| Sep. 14 | 3 | 29 | 39 | 16 | 13 |
| May 14 | 5 | 30 | 33 | 16 | 17 |
| Mar. 14 | 6 | 46 | 28 | 9 | 11 |
| Sep. 13 | 7 | 62 | 20 | 3 | 8 |
| Mar. 13 | 8 | 61 | 19 | 3 | 9 |
| Sep. 12 | 8 | 66 | 14 | 3 | 10 |
GENERALLY, WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ATTITUDE TOWARD RUSSIA? (opinions of Ukrainian residents — data from KIIS)
| Very positive | Generally positive | Generally negative | Very negative | It is difficult to say | |
| Sep. 19 | 16 | 38 | 19 | 16 | 12 |
| Feb. 19 | 15 | 42 | 15 | 12 | 17 |
| Sep. 18 | 10 | 38 | 19 | 13 | 19 |
| Feb. 18 | 6 | 39 | 24 | 14 | 18 |
| Dec. 17 | 6 | 36 | 24 | 16 | 19 |
| Sep. 17 | 7 | 30 | 24 | 22 | 17 |
| May 17 | 5 | 38 | 22 | 15 | 19 |
| Feb. 17 | 8 | 32 | 25 | 21 | 15 |
| Sep. 16 | 7 | 33 | 26 | 20 | 15 |
| May 16 | 9 | 33 | 29 | 14 | 15 |
| Feb. 16 | 9 | 27 | 28 | 19 | 16 |
| Sep. 15 | 9 | 25 | 22 | 31 | 13 |
| May. 15 | 5 | 25 | 25 | 32 | 14 |
| Feb. 15 | 7 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 15 |
| Dec. 14 | 7 | 29 | 26 | 22 | 16 |
| Sep. 14 | 14 | 34 | 23 | 19 | 11 |
| Apr. 14 | 17 | 35 | 19 | 19 | 10 |
| Feb. 14 | 27 | 51 | 11 | 2 | 9 |
| Sep. 13 | 34 | 54 | 7 | 2 | 4 |
| Feb. 13 | 32 | 53 | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| Sep. 12 | 34 | 49 | 8 | 3 | 6 |
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING OPINIONS CONCERNING RUSSIA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH UKRAINE DO YOU AGREE WITH MOST? (opinions of Russian residents — data from the Levada Center)
| Russia’s relationship with Ukraine should be the same as with other countries; they should have closed borders, visas, and customs | Russia and Ukraine should be independent yet friendly nations; they should have open borders and not have visas or customs | Russia and Ukraine must unite into one country | It is difficult to say | |
| Sep. 19 | 23 | 54 | 19 | 4 |
| Feb. 19 | 25 | 52 | 17 | 6 |
| Sep. 18 | 32 | 45 | 16 | 6 |
| Mar. 18 | 39 | 45 | 10 | 5 |
| Dec. 17 | 33 | 49 | 10 | 8 |
| Sep. 17 | 34 | 49 | 11 | 6 |
| May 17 | 35 | 50 | 9 | 5 |
| Jan. 17 | 33 | 53 | 9 | 5 |
| Sep. 16 | 39 | 48 | 8 | 6 |
| May 16 | 36 | 53 | 7 | 4 |
| Jan. 16 | 32 | 52 | 11 | 5 |
| Sep. 15 | 25 | 59 | 8 | 7 |
| May 16 | 30 | 54 | 10 | 6 |
| Jan. 15 | 33 | 52 | 8 | 8 |
| Sep. 14 | 26 | 62 | 7 | 5 |
| May 14 | 28 | 54 | 12 | 6 |
| Mar. 14 | 16 | 50 | 28 | 7 |
| Jan. 14 | 19 | 59 | 16 | 6 |
| Oct. 13 | 23 | 55 | 16 | 6 |
| May 13 | 19 | 58 | 15 | 8 |
| Jan. 13 | 13 | 64 | 18 | 6 |
| Sep. 12 | 14 | 60 | 20 | 6 |
| May 12 | 17 | 62 | 14 | 7 |
| Jan. 12 | 16 | 61 | 16 | 8 |
| Sep. 11 | 16 | 63 | 14 | 6 |
| May 11 | 16 | 64 | 15 | 5 |
| Jan. 11 | 20 | 61 | 13 | 6 |
| Sep. 10 | 16 | 60 | 18 | 6 |
| May 10 | 17 | 64 | 13 | 6 |
| Jan. 10 | 25 | 55 | 14 | 6 |
| Sep. 09 | 25 | 55 | 13 | 7 |
| May 09 | 25 | 55 | 14 | 6 |
| Jan. 09 | 29 | 51 | 12 | 8 |
| Sep. 08 | 24 | 52 | 13 | 11 |
| Mar. 08 | 19 | 56 | 19 | 6 |
WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WOULD YOU LIKE UKRAINE TO HAVE WITH RUSSIA? (opinions of Ukrainian residents — data from KIIS)
| The two countries should have closed borders, visas, and customs | The two countries should have open borders, and no visas or customs | Ukraine and Russia must unite into one country | It is difficult to say | |
| Sep. 19 | 41 | 49 | 3 | 7 |
| Feb. 19 | 39 | 48 | 4 | 9 |
| Sep. 18 | 39 | 50 | 4 | 8 |
| Feb. 18 | 44 | 44 | 3 | 9 |
| Dec. 17 | 45 | 40 | 4 | 11 |
| Sep. 17 | 49 | 40 | 4 | 8 |
| May 17 | 43 | 47 | 4 | 6 |
| Feb. 17 | 47 | 43 | 2 | 7 |
| Sep. 16 | 49 | 43 | 3 | 6 |
| May 16 | 44 | 44 | 3 | 9 |
| Feb. 16 | 43 | 43 | 4 | 11 |
| Sep. 15 | 46 | 45 | 2 | 7 |
| May. 15 | 45 | 46 | 2 | 7 |
| Feb. 15 | 48 | 43 | 4 | 6 |
| Dec. 14 | 50 | 42 | 3 | 5 |
| Sep. 14 | 45 | 44 | 5 | 6 |
| Apr. 14 | 32 | 54 | 8 | 5 |
| Feb. 14 | 15 | 68 | 12 | 5 |
| Nov. 13 | 12 | 73 | 9 | 6 |
| May 13 | 11 | 69 | 14 | 5 |
| Feb. 13 | 13 | 68 | 16 | 3 |
| Sep. 12 | 11 | 72 | 14 | 3 |
| Feb. 12 | 13 | 69 | 16 | 2 |
| Nov. 11 | 13 | 67 | 16 | 2 |
| Oct. 10 | 10 | 67 | 20 | 2 |
| Jun. 10 | 12 | 70 | 16 | 2 |
| March 10 | 11 | 67 | 19 | 3 |
| Jan. 10 | 8 | 66 | 22 | 4 |
| Oct. 09 | 11 | 67 | 19 | 3 |
| May 09 | 10 | 65 | 23 | 2 |
| Feb. 09 | 8 | 68 | 23 | 1 |
| Sep. 08 | 17 | 66 | 16 | 2 |
| Apr. 08 | 10 | 67 | 20 | 3 |
Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).
The ANO Levada Center has been included in the registry of non-commercial organizations acting as foreign agents. Read the Director of the Levada Center’s statement of disagreement with this decision here [2].