The majority of respondents believe that “every real man should serve in the army.” The share of Russians who hold this opinion has decreased from 60% to 49% in three years. About half believe that the army should be formed both by contract and by conscription. At the same time, the share of those who support a full transition to the contract system has increased.
Support for the opinion that every real man should serve in the army has decreased from 60% to 49% since 2019. At the same time, the share of those who consider service in the army as a duty that needs to be paid to the state has increased from 24% to 34%, even if it does not meet personal interests. Another 13% believe that serving in the army is senseless and dangerous and should be avoided.
The greatest support for the first opinion (“every real man should serve in the army”) is represented among respondents 55 years and older (57%), those who barely have enough for food (53%), residents of cities with a population of up to 100 thousand people (58%) and respondents who trust TV as a source information (59%). Respondents who do not support military service in principle are most widely represented among the youngest (19%), those who barely have enough to eat (14%), residents of Moscow (24%) and respondents who trust alternative sources of information – social networks, online publications and Telegram channels (about 20%).
37% of respondents believe that the Russian army should be formed entirely on a contractual basis. In 2019, 31% of respondents held this opinion. About half believe that the army should be formed both by contract and by conscription (in 2019 – 49%), 14% – that by conscription (in 2019 – 17%).
Most of all, the idea of a fully professional army is supported by respondents aged 18-24 (44%), respondents who can afford durable goods (39%), residents of Moscow (54%) and those who trust information from online publications and Telegram channels (about 45%). Support for the combined model of the army and exclusively conscription is typical for older respondents (61%), respondents with an average income (62%), residents of villages and cities with a population of up to 100 thousand people (65%) and those who trust TV as a source of news (68%).
METHODOLOGY
The survey by the Levada Center was conducted November 24 – 30 2022, 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 distribution of responses is given as a percentage of the total number of respondents.
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.