Staunton, October 7 – Even as Western leaders try in almost every way to describe the Russian invasion of Ukraine as something other than what it is, most Ukrainians know that their country is at war with Russia and almost as many blame the Russian Federation for that reality, according to a new Razumkov Center poll.
According to the results of a poll published October 7, 57 percent of Ukrainians consider what is going on in the Donbas a war with Russia. Only 13 percent describe the conflict as Moscow does as a civil war, and only 9.9 percent say what is occurring is a protest against the new regime in Kyiv.
Nearly half of Ukrainian citizens – 40.4 percent – consider that Moscow is to blame for what is happening, although a quarter – 24.2 percent – blame former president Viktor Yanukovych and one in seven — 14.4 percent – say responsibility rests with the new government in Kyiv.
Ukrainians in the central and west blamed Russia for what is happening, 51.4 percent and 57.8 percent, respectively, with 33.0 percent of those in the east saying the same. But in the south and in the Donbas, residents were more inclined to blame the new Ukrainian government for what is happening: with 26.5 percent of the former and 30.5 percent of the latter doing so.