Majority of Ukrainians Believe Russia Will Not Stop at Occupied Territories, Poll Shows

According to a recent survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), 87% of Ukrainians believe that Russia does not intend to stop at the territories it currently occupies.

The poll, conducted between February 14 and March 4, 2025, assessed public opinion on Russia’s objectives in its ongoing war against Ukraine.

The survey results indicate that 66% of respondents believe Russia’s primary goal is the destruction of Ukraine. Within this group, 28% think Russia aims to carry out a physical genocide of Ukrainians, while 38% believe Russia seeks to occupy most or all of Ukraine and eliminate its statehood and national identity.

Additionally, 14% of respondents consider Russia’s objective to be the establishment of a puppet government after occupying a significant portion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, 7% of those surveyed think Russia aims to seize full control of Donetsk region, as well as the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. Only 4% of respondents believe Russia intends only to maintain control over the currently occupied areas, while 3% selected the option that Russia’s goal is limited to the so-called “denazification ” and demilitarization of Ukraine. The remaining 7% were uncertain about their position on the matter.

Across all regions of Ukraine, the belief that Russia will not stop at its current territorial holdings is prevalent. The survey found that this view is held by at least 80% of respondents in the eastern and southern regions, rising to 89–90% in central and western Ukraine.

Regarding perceptions of Russia’s broader objectives, 70% of respondents in western Ukraine and 68% in central Ukraine believe that Russia seeks to eliminate Ukrainian statehood. This view is also shared by 62% in the south and 46% in the east.

The survey was conducted using telephone interviews based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers. A total of 1,029 respondents aged 18 and older participated, representing all regions of Ukraine under government control.

The sample did not include residents of territories currently outside Ukrainian government authority, though some internally displaced persons (IDPs) from occupied areas were surveyed. The poll also excluded Ukrainian citizens who left the country after February 24, 2022.

Earlier, NATO intensified its preparations for a potential conflict with Russia, assigning Estonia key long-range strike tasks. According to ERR, Estonia’s Defense Forces are focusing on specific targets within Russia as part of the Alliance’s strategic planning.