Four in Five Ukrainians Back Continuing Refinery Strikes Despite Potential US Aid Cuts
A new survey found that 80% of respondents support persisting with attacks on Russian oil infrastructure even if Washington reduces financial support, while 63% say they are ready to fight for as long as needed.
By Natalia Costa ·
For the majority of adults living in government-controlled Ukraine, the decision to hit Russian oil refineries is no longer tied to the flow of American money. A survey released by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) shows that 80% of people believe the country should keep striking those targets even if the United States stops or lowers its assistance. The result suggests a deep public commitment to a specific military strategy that does not rely on external funding guarantees to remain valid.
The opposition to continuing the strikes is a small minority. Only 11% of those interviewed said the attacks should end if US aid is cut. The remaining 8% were undecided. This distribution indicates that the idea of halting refinery operations in response to diplomatic or financial changes from Washington has little traction among the public.
The survey also measured how long citizens are prepared to endure the conflict. Sixty-three percent of respondents stated they are ready to continue for as long as necessary. Another 5% set a limit of one year, while 21% suggested a shorter period ranging from a few months to half a year. The final 11% did not give a firm answer. The data points to a large group of people who view the war's duration as open-ended rather than a countdown.
KIIS conducted the survey via telephone interviews between October 16 and October 25, 2026. The sample included 828 adult citizens aged 18 and older residing in areas under Ukrainian government control. Residents of territories outside Kyiv's control were not included in the sample. The institute noted that the formal statistical margin of error for indicators near 50% did not exceed 4.4%, assuming a probability of 0.95 and a design effect of 1.3.
The institute added that wartime conditions can introduce systematic deviations beyond the formal margin of error. KIIS has previously outlined factors that may affect survey quality during active conflict, including accessibility of respondents and changing living conditions. The findings reflect the views of those who could be reached by phone in government-controlled regions during the final week of October.
