More than half of Russians no longer support sending their relatives to the war in Ukraine.

Only 30% of Russians Would Now Support a Relative's Decision to Go to War in Ukraine. Support for sending relatives to fight in Ukraine has declined significantly among the Russian public, according to recent polling data. Only 30% of Russians now say they would back such a decision, a figure that highlights a notable shift in sentiment. The proportion of those opposed has grown by 13 percentage points over the past year. An anonymous Russian sociologist who spoke with 'Agency' stated that this data indicates a majority of the country's residents want an end to the hostilities. The trend shows a steady decline in support: In May 2023, previous polls showed 52% of Russians would have approved of a relative going to war, while 41% were opposed. By April 2024, supporters had fallen to 47%, with opponents at 44%. In October of last year, 40% of respondents were ready to support a loved one's deployment, versus 42% against. The sociologist emphasized that responses to this question point to a growing war-weariness within Russian society. Another indicator of this sentiment is the public attitude toward peace talks: a recent October poll by the independent Levada Center found that 61% of Russians are in favor of starting negotiations, while only 30% support continuing military operations. Previous Levada data from August had already shown that the war has directly affected more than half of all Russians, with nearly a third reporting the death of an acquaintance, friend, or relative.