A recent survey conducted by Rating Group Ukraine reveals a significant shift in public sentiment regarding support for Ukrainian citizens who have fled the country during the ongoing conflict with Russia. According to the study, approximately 60% of respondents consider it inappropriate to provide support to Ukrainians living abroad, while only 37% believe such assistance should be offered.
This stance comes against the backdrop of widespread economic hardship and personal losses experienced by those remaining in Ukraine. Over 80% of surveyed individuals reported a worsening economic situation in the country over the past year, with nearly half citing deterioration in their mental and emotional health due to the war.
The survey measured the social and economic impact of war and justice perception in the third year of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The survey also highlights a strong desire for justice and accountability among Ukrainians. An overwhelming 76% believe that achieving justice is impossible without the arrest and trial of those responsible for the attack on Ukraine and subsequent war crimes. This sentiment is coupled with a growing emphasis on financial compensation for war victims, with 30% now viewing it as a priority for ensuring justice, up from 23% last year.
Despite the hardline stance on supporting citizens abroad, Ukrainians show a nuanced approach to reintegration and reconciliation. A significant majority (77%) support the introduction of an international temporary administration to facilitate the adaptation process in the liberated territories of Donbas and Crimea. Furthermore, 84% believe that measures to support and establish connections with the population remaining in occupied territories should already be implemented by the state.
The survey also reveals a strong sense of a shared future, with 88% of respondents believing Ukraine has a common destiny with residents of territories occupied in 2022 and 73% extending this view to areas occupied since 2014.
As Ukraine grapples with the ongoing conflict and its consequences, these findings suggest a complex public attitude balancing a desire for justice and accountability with the need for national unity and reconciliation. The reluctance to support citizens who have left the country underscores the challenges faced by those who have remained and their expectations for shared sacrifice in times of national crisis.
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