77 Percent of Ukrainians Hostile to Russians, 94 Percent to Russian State, and 97 Percent to Putin Personally, Razumkov Center Poll Finds

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Apr. 5 – Ukrainians clearly distinguish between the Russian people, the Russian state, and Vladimir Putin, according to the results of the latest poll by Kyiv’s Razumkov Center. Seventy-seven percent are hostile to Russians as people, 94 percent are hostile to the Russian state, but 97 percent are hostile to Putin personally.

            These figures are in sharp contrast not only to how Ukrainians felt about these three before 2014 and Putin’s Anschluss of Crimea but also how they feel today about those countries whose people and governments support Ukraine in its effort to defend itself against Russian aggression (razumkov.org.ua/napriamky/sotsiologichni-doslidzhennia/zovnishnopolitychni-oriientatsii-gromadian-ukrainy-otsinka-zovnishnoi-polityky-vlady-stavlennia-do-inozemnykh-derzhav-ta-politykiv-liutyi-berezen-2023r).

            With regard to those countries, Ukrainians have positive feelings rating between 85 and 94 percent. The country they feel most negative towards after Russia is Belarus. Eighty-one percent of Ukrainians, the survey found, have a negative view of this their northern neighbor and Putin ally.