*The full survey report is available for download via the form below.

Ukraine has been living under full-scale war for the fourth consecutive year, a reality that affects every citizen. In addition to security threats and economic instability, Ukrainians are increasingly experiencing emotional exhaustion, driven by constant shelling, the prolonged nature of hostilities, and the lack of clear forecasts for the war’s end. At the same time, Ukrainians continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience: despite fatigue, the majority retain their faith in victory and a brighter future.

To capture current public sentiment, Gradus Research conducted the 12th wave of its wartime survey "On a Big Move". This wave explored expectations regarding the duration of the war, trust in institutions, stress levels, language practices, and labor market trends.

Labor Market Situation

Despite the protracted war, the Ukrainian labor market shows signs of stability. Currently, 59% of respondents are employed and receiving wages, a figure only slightly lower than last year. The share of those temporarily unemployed remains nearly unchanged at 26%, compared to 27% in 2024.

The highest unemployment rates are recorded among two age groups: young people aged 18–24 and those approaching retirement (55–60 years), with 39% of respondents in these groups unemployed. Half of all respondents report a decrease in income compared to pre-war levels. The older generation feels the financial strain the most, with 68% of those aged 55–60 reporting lower income. Among young people, this share is 31%.

Mental Exhaustion: Chronic Stress Yet Persistent Hope

87% of Ukrainians acknowledge experiencing stress. The most common emotions reported are fatigue (55%), tension (41%), and hope (36%). Compared to last year, levels of fatigue and hope have risen (from 52% and 31% respectively), indicating increased psychological strain, but also the persistence of inner resilience.

Trust in the Armed Forces and Willingness to Stay

A key factor in psychological stability remains the high level of trust in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (58%). Citizens also express trust in the President (31%) and volunteer organizations (29%).

Against this backdrop, 55% of respondents state they are ready to remain in their place of residence even in the event of an escalation, while 18% consider relocating within Ukraine, and only 11% are contemplating going abroad. This suggests growing internal mobility within Ukraine and a restrained level of external emigration readiness.

Victory and Reconstruction: Faith in the Future

In the context of renewed negotiations and prisoner exchanges, 19% of Ukrainians believe the war will end by the close of 2025 — 7 percentage points higher than last year. Another 13% expect the fighting to end in 2026, while one-third believe the war may last for many years.

At the same time, 50% of respondents are convinced that Ukraine will emerge stronger after the war — 9 percentage points higher than in 2024. Regarding post-war recovery, 35% believe it will take more than five years, while 20% think the country can recover in a shorter period.

Language Practices: The Shift to Ukrainian

The domestic use of the state language continues to rise: 72% of Ukrainians now speak Ukrainian at home, significantly up from 53% in April 2022. This reflects a key indicator of national consolidation in wartime conditions.

“The 12th wave of research clearly illustrates Ukrainians’ adaptive responses to a prolonged crisis. Fatigue has become a backdrop against which a new type of resilience is forming — one that is deeply grounded in reality but still holds on to hope. Belief in victory and a bright future is not about optimism; it is about an internal imperative that society clings to,” comments Evgeniya Blyznyuk, sociologist, CEO & Founder of Gradus Research.

As part of the project "Wartime Survey. On a Big Move" Gradus Research has conducted twelve waves of public sentiment surveys during the war: Wave I — February 28 – March 1, 2022, Wave II — March 8, 2022, Wave III — March 28, 2022, Wave IV — April 20, 2022, Wave V — May 23, 2022, Wave VI — July 28–30, 2022, Wave VII — December 27–30, 2022, Wave VIII — April 24–25, 2023, Wave IX — December 20–23, 2023, Wave X — June 17–21, 2024, Wave XI — December 23–25, 2024, Wave XII — May 16–18, 2025. The survey was conducted by Gradus Research using self-administered questionnaires via the Gradus mobile application. The sample reflects the structure of the population of cities with over 50,000 residents aged 18–60 by gender, age, settlement size, and region, excluding temporarily occupied territories and areas of active hostilities. The sample size of the 12th wave: 1,000 respondents.