Polish and Russian public opinion on Ukraine conflict

Following the July 2026 reports of Polish skepticism toward Ukrainian leadership and declining Russian support for the war, new developments have centered on security vulnerabilities and further shifts in Russian sentiment.

In Poland, the crash of a Russian Ch-101 cruise missile near Tarnawa-Kolonia has triggered intense debate over civil defense and strategic depth. Investigations into the incident revealed that alert systems failed to notify all affected counties, with sirens functioning in only 10 of 17 districts. This failure has led to calls for relocating sensitive military and ammunition production facilities further west, away from the eastern border, and has prompted discussions regarding the policy of not intercepting missiles while they are still over Ukrainian territory.

Simultaneously, Russian public opinion has shown further signs of fatigue. Recent data from the Levada Center indicates that only 8% of respondents now view the military operation as "very successful," marking the lowest level of support since the start of the full-scale invasion. Analysts attribute this decline to increased insecurity and Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure, such as oil refineries.