For the first time since the beginning of the war, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of Ukrainians willing to endure it for as long as necessary – survey

For the first time since Russia’s large-scale invasion, the number of Ukrainians willing to endure the war “for as long as it takes” has declined. Although they still form a majority (63%), this figure is down by 10% from February’s 73%.

These findings come from a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) titled “Perception of Russia’s Endurance and How Long Ukrainians Are Willing to Bear the Burden of War.”

The most significant decrease in resilience was noted in southern (50% now versus 68%) and eastern (38% now versus 70%) Ukraine, the regions most affected by active combat. Over the past six months, there has also been a sharp increase in the number of respondents unsure of how long they can endure the war (up to 12% from 4%). Additionally, 4% more people stated they were willing to endure for another six months to a year.

Between February and October 2023, the proportion of people believing that Russia still has substantial resources to sustain the war against Ukraine for years increased from 22% to 49%. Conversely, those who believed Russia is depleting its resources and that the war might end soon on terms favorable to Ukraine decreased from 67% to 43%. From October 2023 to October 2024, these sentiments have remained almost unchanged, with opinions now nearly balanced. For example, 47% of Ukrainians think Russia has enough resources for a prolonged war, while 46% believe Russia’s resources are dwindling.

The survey was conducted from September 20 to October 3 and included 989 respondents aged 18 and older residing in Ukraine.

Recently, Western media reported a growing sense of discouragement among Ukrainian authorities regarding the ongoing war.