70% of Poles believe in the success of Ukraine's counteroffensive

The majority of Poles believe that the counteroffensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be successful but will not end the war. These findings stem from a survey conducted by SW Research for Rzeczpospolita.

In response to the question of whether Ukraine's counteroffensive will be successful, the following answers were given: 22% of respondents stated that it would lead to Ukraine's victory and the end of the war. 48.2% of those surveyed believe that the counteroffensive will be successful but will not conclude the war. 12.2% of respondents do not believe in the success of Ukraine's counteroffensive, and 17.6% of respondents do not have an opinion on the matter.

Men are more likely to support the option of "success of the Ukrainian army without ending the war" compared to women (55% versus 42%). More than half of young people (53%) aged up to 24 and a slightly lower percentage (51%) of respondents with higher education believe that Ukrainian forces will succeed in the counteroffensive but will not resolve the conflict. Respondents with an income of 2000-3000 zlotys ($490-735) share the same view most frequently (55%), believing that the war will not end regardless of the success of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Nearly six out of ten people (57%) in cities with populations ranging from 100,000 to 199,000 residents hold the same opinion.

The survey was conducted by SW Research, a research agency, among users of the SW Panel online platform on June 20-21, 2023. The analysis included a group of 800 internet users aged 18 and above.

Rzeczpospolita also noted that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is primarily taking place in the southern part of the country, in the western part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and at the junction of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Donetsk Oblast near the village of Velyka Novosilka. Ukrainians have also conducted offensive operations in the Donbas region, specifically in the area around Bakhmut. However, Russian military bloggers refer to these actions as a diversionary maneuver to divert attention from the main direction of attack.

Earlier, CNN journalists reported, citing their own sources, that Ukraine's counteroffensive operations have had less success than expected in the West. They noted that the counteroffensive is still in its initial stage, with Ukrainians adapting to Russian defensive tactics, while Western partners remain optimistic about its results.