Only 11% of Russians back call to use nuclear weapons – survey
The majority of people in Russia oppose the idea of using nuclear weapons against Ukraine in the ongoing conflict, according to a poll conducted by the media outlet RTVI and the Russian Field polling agency. Almost three-quarters of respondents (74%) said the nuclear option is ‘unacceptable’ regardless of the situation on the battlefield, RTVI reported on Wednesday.
Only 10% of Russians said the use of nuclear weapons is ‘acceptable’ at any time, while 5% said the step could only be taken when faced with a real risk of defeat. Five percent of respondents provided no clear answer to the question.
Men, middle-aged, and older Russians appear to be more supportive of the nuclear option, according to the survey. Respondents with higher education and those who see the conflict as a potential threat to their personal security tend to oppose it.
A majority of Russians expressed willingness to aid the Russian forces fighting on the front lines. According to the survey, 61% of respondents said they are ready to do so and almost 40% said they had already provided some aid to the military at least once, through various aid and support programs. Almost 30% also collected clothes and other useful items for the soldiers.
The issue of a potential nuclear strike briefly entered the spotlight in Russia after political scientist Sergey Karaganov raised the possibility in an opinion piece.
In an article titled ‘A Difficult But Necessary Decision’, Karaganov argued that Russia could escalate to the use of nuclear weapons against European countries that support Ukraine in order to force the US and its allies to back off from a wider conflict with Russia and thus prevent a global nuclear war and World War III.
In mid-June, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that even discussing of the issue lowers the threshold for the potential use of nuclear weapons. Under the current official doctrine, Russia will only make use of its arsenal if faced with an existential threat, the president said at the time, adding that he does not believe in using tactical, low-yield nuclear weapons as a deterrent.
