Russians show rising exhaustion with Ukraine war, survey finds

For the first time since the full-scale invasion began, most Russians have openly acknowledged feeling tired of the war in Ukraine, a closed survey conducted by the state-run Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) on behalf of the Kremlin, confirmed.

The findings, presented by Alexander Kharichev, head of the Presidential Directorate for Monitoring and Analysis of Social Processes, were distributed to regional administrations in preparation for the 2026 elections, Caliber.Az reports via the Russian media.

The survey showed that 56% of respondents said they were “very tired” of the conflict and another 27% “partly agreed.” Altogether, 83% expressed war fatigue, the highest level since the invasion began, while support for continuing hostilities has fallen below 20%.

Sociologist Elena Koneva said Russian society is entering “a phase of deep disillusionment,” as inflation exceeding 40% erodes living standards. The share of those complaining about worsening finances has more than doubled in two years, rising from 15% to 35%.

Data from the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) also show record-low optimism about the future, with inflation rising, income growth slowing, and taxes increasing to fund military expenses. Sociologists Vladimir Zvonovsky and Alexander Khodykin note that for every Russian reporting an improvement in living conditions, more than three say their situation has worsened.

Overall, Russians now view the situation in the country with deep pessimism.

The war began in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea and backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

It escalated into a full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, becoming Europe’s largest conflict since World War II.

Moscow claimed its goals were to prevent Ukraine’s NATO membership and to “demilitarise” the country, objectives widely viewed by Western analysts as an attempt to restore political and strategic dominance over Kyiv.

By Jeyhun Aghazada