Camilla Jessen
A recent poll reveals that many Russians support using nuclear weapons in the conflict with Ukraine.
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More than a third of Russians would approve of a nuclear strike on Ukraine, according to a June poll conducted by the Levada Center.
This was reported by The Moscow Times on their Telegram channel.
Poll Results
The survey showed that 10% of respondents “strongly” support the use of nuclear weapons in the war, while another 24% consider it “rather” a good idea.
This is a 5 percentage point increase in support for nuclear action over the past year, reaching a record high since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Also read
Despite this increase, a majority of 52% are still against using nuclear weapons.
But, this majority is shrinking; in April 2023, 56% were opposed.
Context
The Levada Center, a non-governmental analytical organization, has been conducting sociological and marketing research for years. In 2016, the Russian authorities labeled it a “foreign agent.”
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has framed the conflict with Ukraine as an existential threat to Russia, which he uses to justify the potential use of nuclear weapons.
