A recent survey by the Razumkov Center, published on June 26, indicates that 33% of Ukrainians believe the country is moving "in the right direction," while 47% feel it is heading "in the wrong direction."
"The share of those who believe that events in Ukraine are developing in the right direction is lower than the share of those who believe that they are developing in the wrong direction, but their ratio is still better than before the outbreak of the full-scale war, 20% and 65,5% respectively," according to the research.
This data, collected from June 6 to June 12, involved 2,016 respondents over the age of 18 across 22 Ukrainian oblasts, including Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv. The survey was conducted in Ukrainian-held territories not experiencing active hostilities.
The findings show a notable improvement in public sentiment compared to the period before Russia's full-scale invasion. In December 2021, only 20% of Ukrainians thought the country was on the right path, with 65.5% expressing the opposite view.
The peak of optimism was observed between February and March 2023, when 61% believed in the country's positive trajectory. However, this optimism has waned slightly in recent months.
The survey also highlighted that 29% of Ukrainians are confident the nation will overcome its current challenges in the next few years, while 46% believe it will take longer. Meanwhile, 11% of respondents feel Ukraine cannot cope with its issues, and 14% were undecided.
In late 2022 and early 2023, optimism was at its highest, with 49% of Ukrainians believing the state would resolve its problems in the near future. This is a stark contrast to the sentiment in December 2021, just before the full-scale invasion, when only 18% expressed similar confidence.
As the country continues to face ongoing conflict and significant challenges, these mixed sentiments reflect the complex and evolving public opinion landscape in Ukraine.
Kateryna Hodunova
