A new poll has revealed that a majority of Russians want an immediate end to the war in Ukraine, with public support for the conflict collapsing. The survey, conducted for regional Russian administrations ahead of the 2026 elections, reportedly shocked officials.
The poll shows that 83% of Russians feel fatigued from the war, and 56% want it to end right away, a sharp rise from the previous year. Support for continuing hostilities has fallen to around 23%, even as the Kremlin insists publicly that national unity remains strong.
High casualties, rising inflation, collapsing wages, and a permanent war economy that diverts nearly all resources toward the military were listed as the main reasons for growing public dissent. New taxes have been imposed almost monthly to fill budget gaps, with the last one raising Russia's VAT from 20% to 22% next year.
The poll comes as Vladimir Putin met with US envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday to discuss a peace deal. However, the Kremlin said no major breakthrough was achieved, although the talks were described as 'constructive'. European diplomats insisted that Putin was not interested in peace, as Witkoff returned to the US empty-handed.
Meanwhile, Russians are increasingly speaking out against the war, despite the threat of harsh punishments. In a furious outburst, a Russian pensioner told a TV reporter: 'Putin is a maniac who came to power on blood. He gets off on the idea of blood being spilled.'
