Half of Ukrainians are against granting special status to Donbas, according to an opinion poll conducted by the Razumkov Centre for Sociological Research in September.
According to the results of the opinion poll “Citizens Attitude to Donbas Situation” published on Sept. 26 on the website of the Razumkov Center, 50 percent of respondents are against the granting of the special status to Donbas, 22.7 percent of respondents support such an idea. At the same, the special status for Donbas is not supported by the majority of the inhabitants of the western and central regions and a relative majority of residents of southern regions. In eastern regions and government-controlled part of Donbas the number of supporters and opponents of the special status is approximately the same.
A total of 50.6 percent of respondents do not support holding the elections in the occupied areas of Donbas before their return under control of Ukrainian government. Some 23.9 percent advocate holding the elections before this happens. Most of respondents in the west and center of the country, as well as a relative majority in southern regions are against such elections in Donbas. In eastern regions and Kyiv-controlled areas of Donbas, the share of respondents who are for and against this idea is nearly equal.
A total of 38.5 percent of respondents are against the amnesty of members of separatist movements, who have not committed serious crimes. Some 23.9 percent support such amnesty.
Some 42.1 percent of citizens support the termination of all economic ties between Ukraine and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics, including social security payments, the supply of energy resources, coal procurement, etc. until the establishment of Ukraine’s full control over these territories. A total of 36 percent are against such economic blockade.
In addition, 44.2 percent of respondents are in favor of holding a nationwide referendum on the status of the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, while 32.8 percent of respondents oppose the idea.
Some 39.1 percent of respondents do not see the efficiency of the Minsk agreements, while 11.9 percent speak positively about them. A total of 21.1 percent are neutral about the agreements.
The study was conducted by the sociological service of the Razumkov Centre on Sept. 9-14. A total of 2,018 respondents aged 18 and over were polled in all regions of Ukraine (118 populated localities), with the exception of Crimea and the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The sampling error (excluding design effect) does not exceed 2.3 percent with a probability of 0.95.
