According to recent sociological surveys by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted in September 2026, internal governance issues and persistent military threats have become the main triggers for Ukrainian society. The survey data reveals complex public sentiments balancing between existential fear of massive missile and drone strikes and deep disappointment with the government apparatus.
Key Priorities of Concern: Corruption and Shelling
During the large-scale study, respondents were asked to choose up to the three most acute problems from twelve suggested options. The absolute leader in public dissatisfaction was government corruption, noted by 50% of respondents. Massive missile and drone attacks by Russian forces ranked second, causing concern for 40% of citizens. Meanwhile, general socio-economic problems such as low wages and pensions ranked fourth, receiving 28% of votes. This distribution demonstrates that institutional shortcomings and security have taken center stage in public attention.
Public Administration Factor vs. Military Risks
Analyzing the respondents' answers highlights two dominant groups of triggers — military and administrative. Combining the figures, war factors (missile-drone strikes and the immediate frontline situation) concern a total of 53% of survey participants. However, total dissatisfaction with the authorities was even higher: 64% of citizens cited either corruption or general incompetence and unprofessionalism of the country's leadership as their main concern (the latter noted by 30% of respondents). Thus, public administration problems in the population's perception currently outweigh even direct frontline threats.
Contradictory Data
On one hand, sociology records a sharp increase in pessimism regarding internal politics: 72% of survey participants are convinced that the level of corruption in the country has increased significantly during the full-scale invasion, with only 6% noticing positive changes. On the other hand, parallel KIIS studies demonstrate a paradoxical level of psychological resilience: despite permanent stress, infrastructure disruptions, and existential threats, the vast majority of Ukrainians continue to call themselves happy, and the share of such respondents has even increased over the past year and a half, while only 16% consider themselves unhappy.
Expert Assessments and Social Dynamics
Sociologists emphasize that Ukrainian society demonstrates a high degree of maturity alongside deep fatigue. Demands for changes in governance and the eradication of corruption schemes go hand in hand with the determination to continue armed resistance to aggression. Citizens clearly distinguish between the existential external front and internal institutional problems, demanding transparency and efficiency from the authorities even in wartime.
