This survey was conducted August 20–26, 2020, among a representative sample of all Russian urban and rural residents. The sample was comprised of 1601 people aged 18 or older in 137 municipalities of 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 total number of participants along with data from previous surveys.
The statistical error of these studies for a sample 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 demonstrating Ukrainian residents’ attitudes towards Russia are from the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS [1]).
Surveys are usually carried out in the same month, but sometimes there is a 1–2 month difference between the fieldwork done in both countries. The Levada Center presented its questions in August 2020 (for comparability of charts, we marked them as September), while KIIS surveyed in September 2020 (2000 people were surveyed September 12–16, 2020).
This time, the difference in survey methods should be taken into account and demands further study: the Levada Center conducted surveys as personal interviews (face-to-face), while KIIS used computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI).
Survey results indicate an improvement in Russians’ attitudes towards Ukraine in August 2020, as compared with the previous sample in January 2020. However, the total growth by 6 percentage points does not currently allow us to make conclusions about a radical change in Russian public opinion or the sustainability of the growth of positive values (this requires additional data points). Nonetheless, data from other indicators, demonstrate an overall decrease of Russians’ negative perceptions of their primary “foreign political opponents”: the U.S., Ukraine, and Great Britain [2], which may indicate a waning interest in such a confrontational agenda among the population and a strong change in the event context capturing the attention of residents of the Russian federation (the Coronavirus pandemic).
Ukrainian residents’ attitudes toward Russia from February to September 2020 worsened somewhat, but there is still a strong regional differentiation: positive attitudes are prevalent in Southern and Eastern Ukraine, and, conversely, negative attitudes are predominant among residents of Western and Central Ukraine (see KIIS press release for further details).
Half of Russian residents (51%) and half of Ukrainian residents (51%) believe that both states should be independent, but friendly (without visas or customs), and this number has not changed significantly in both countries in the last two years.
Previous joint studies by the Levada Center and KIIS:
Historical Memory [3]
The Perception of Stalin [4]
Russia-Ukraine Relations [5]
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 | |
| Aug 20 | 11 | 37 | 26 | 17 | 8 |
| Jan 20 | 6 | 36 | 27 | 20 | 11 |
| 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 |
| July 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 |
| July 16 | 2 | 29 | 36 | 22 | 11 |
| June 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 |
IN GENERAL, 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 20 | 8 | 34 | 21 | 21 | 16 |
| Feb 20 | 14 | 41 | 18 | 15 | 13 |
| Dec 19 | 14 | 35 | 20 | 19 | 12 |
| 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 state | It is difficult to say | |
| Aug 20 | 30 | 51 | 16 | 3 |
| Jan 20 | 26 | 56 | 15 | 3 |
| 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 15 | 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)
| 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 state | It is difficult to say | |
| Sep 20 | 39 | 51 | 5 | 5 |
| Feb 20 | 39 | 51 | 3 | 7 |
| Dec 19 | 40 | 48 | 5 | 7 |
| 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 |
| June 10 | 12 | 70 | 16 | 2 |
| Mar 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 [6].