Almost 80% of Ukrainians want closed borders and visas with Russia

As of May 2023, according to a survey, almost 80% of Ukrainians support closed borders, visas and customs with Russia.

Source: results of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) survey shared on 27 June.

Quote: "As can be seen, before the Revolution of Dignity, the vast majority of Ukrainians (70%) wanted to see the countries as independent but friendly states.

Only 15% insisted that relations should be like with other states – with closed borders, visas, and customs. Moreover, quite a significant share of respondents (12%) even wanted unification into one state. 

After the occupation of Crimea and the start of the war in Donbas, the share of those who believed that relations should be like with other states increased significantly (from 15% to 44%), although 48% still believed that the countries should remain friendly (the share of those who advocated unification decreased to 5%).

Ultimately, after the large-scale invasion, the share of those who want to have closed borders, visas and customs with Russia increased to 79% (an identical indicator in July 2022 and May 2023). Only 10% would now like the countries to be friendly, and only 1% would like to unite the countries into one."

Details: The study was conducted from 26 May to 5 June. A total of 984 respondents living in all regions of Ukraine (except the Autonomous Republic of Crimea) were interviewed by telephone with the use of a random sample of mobile numbers. 

The survey was conducted with adults (aged 18 years and older) citizens of Ukraine who, at the time of the survey, lived on the territory of Ukraine (within the limits controlled by the Ukrainian authorities until 24 February 2022).

The sample did not include residents of territories that were temporarily not controlled by the Ukrainian authorities until 24 February 2022 (Crimea, Sevastopol, certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts), and the survey was not conducted with citizens who went abroad after 24 February 2022.

Formally, under normal circumstances, the margin error of such a sample did not exceed 3.4% for indicators close to 50%; 3.0% for indicators close to 25%; 2.1% for indicators close to 10%; and 1.5% for indicators close to 5%.

A certain systematic deviation is added to the specified formal error in war conditions. Out of a total of 984 respondents, 32 respondents had lived in a settlement that is currently occupied until 24 February 2022.

It is important to note that although the views of respondents who lived under occupation differed somewhat, the general trends were quite similar.

KIIS has examined the dynamics of views on the issue of relations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation over the past 10 years. For comparison, they show how Ukrainians responded in February 2013, February 2022, July 2022, and May 2023.

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