Two-thirds of respondents have heard about the participation of PMCs in Ukrainian military operations on the side of Russia. Respondents mostly support the use of such combat units.
64% of respondents have heard that mercenaries and private military companies (PMCs) take part in the fighting in Ukraine on the side of Russia: 27% have heard a lot about it, 37% have heard something. Residents of Moscow (73% in total) and respondents with higher education (70% in total) are best aware of this. There are no significant differences in other parameters.
[1]
[2]63% of respondents consider the use of PMCs acceptable: 30% believe that it is absolutely permissible, a third – which is rather acceptable. About a quarter (26%) consider this unacceptable.
The highest level of support for PMCs is represented among residents of Moscow (81% in total) and respondents with higher education (69% in total). The least number of respondents who consider the use of mercenaries on the side of the Russian Federation permissible is concentrated among residents of cities with a population of up to 500 thousand people (about 60%) and among respondents with lower-secondary education (42%). There are no significant differences in other parameters.
[3]
[4]METHODOLOGY
The survey by the Levada Center was conducted September 22 – 28 2022, among a representative sample of all Russian urban and rural residents. The sample was comprised of 1631 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 ANO Levada Center is included in the registry of non-commercial organizations acting as foreign agents.