Poll: more than half of Ukrainians negative about Belarusians

August 24, BPN. More than half of Ukrainian citizens have a negative attitude towards Belarusians, Ukrainian pollster Rating has revealed.

According to a survey it conducted in mid-August, 52 percent of respondents voiced a negative attitude towards Belarusians (33 percent in April 2022; 4 percent in April 2020), 34 percent were neutral, and 10 percent were positive.

The survey involved adults from all over the country, except for the occupied territories and areas without mobile phone connection.

In another survey released on June 23, Rating found that 85 percent took a “completely negative” attitude toward Alaksandr Łukašenka, and 10 percent were “rather negative.” Just two percent of respondents chose the “completely positive” and “rather positive” options.

On February 24, Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine. Authorities in Minsk deny Belarusian army troops’ involvement in combat operations on the Russian side. However, Belarus allowed Russian troops and weapons to move freely through the country, use its airspace, refuel and store military equipment and attack Ukraine from its territory.

A 20,000-strong grouping of Russian forces crossed into Ukraine from Belarus at the outset of the war, Alaksandr Łukašenka told AFP in an interview on July 21. Russian troops retreated from northern Ukraine later.