The number of supporters of strikes on non-military targets of Russia has increased in Ukraine – KIIS

The vast majority of Ukrainians support the need for strikes on Russian territory, while the share of those who favor strikes on non-military targets has increased. This is evidenced by the results of a January poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

In February 2023, KIIS sociologists asked respondents whether Ukraine should strike at Russian territory or not in order not to provoke an escalation.

In January 2026, KIIS asked the same question again, but added a new option (singling out strikes on military targets and oil and gas infrastructure).

In both February 2023 and January 2026, 90% of believed that Ukraine should strike at Russian territory.

At the same time, the number of those who say that only military targets are being targeted has decreased – from 38% to 10%.

Instead, now 80% of believe that in addition to military targets, Ukraine should strike other targets (in 2023 it was 52%).

7% talk about military and oil and gas infrastructure, 48% add Russia's energy sector to the list, and 25% generally believe that Ukraine should strike at Russia's population (in 2023, the number was 13%).

The survey was conducted on KIIS's own initiative on January 23-29, 2026. 1,003 respondents aged 18 and older in the government-controlled areas were interviewed by phone. Formally, under normal circumstances, the statistical error of such a sample would not exceed 4.1%, but in times of war, a certain systematic deviation may be added.

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