The majority (54%) of Ukrainian citizens believe that the socio-economic policy of the Ukrainian government is aimed primarily at supporting large capital (the rich, oligarchs), 13% believe that it is aimed at supporting the poor and disabled (lower class, poor), and only 10% that it is aimed at forming and supporting the middle class.

According to the results of a sociological survey conducted by the sociological service of the Razumkov Centre on September 20-26 and presented at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday, 75% of respondents believe that in Ukraine there is no real equality of citizens before the law at all or mostly, and only 16% believe that it mostly or completely exists.

Answering the question of what exactly in their understanding is the state's assistance in raising the standard of living of citizens, respondents most often name the establishment of such a level of wages when each worker will be able to support himself and his family at a decent material level (38%). However, compared to 2002, the share of those who think so has significantly decreased (then it was 55%).

At the same time, since 2002, the share of those who believe that this assistance consists of subsidies, benefits, social payments to low-income citizens has increased from 16% to 30%, as well as those who link this assistance with the creation of conditions for free enterprise, primarily small and medium-sized businesses (from 5% to 8%).

Compared to 2018, the share of respondents who believe that the social protection system for citizens should be built on providing only for the disabled (the elderly, the disabled, orphans) has increased from 20% to 29%, and the share of those who believe that the state should provide targeted assistance to other groups in difficult life circumstances has decreased (from 33% to 30%), as well as those who believe that the state should protect all outcasts, people with low incomes (from 33% to 28%). Those who believe that assistance should be provided only to the disabled are still in the minority.

The face-to-face survey was conducted across government-controlled areas not actively engaged in combat, involving 2,016 respondents aged 18 and older. The sample reflects the demographic composition of Ukraine’s adult population as of early 2022. The theoretical margin of error does not exceed 2.3%, though additional biases may arise due to the impacts of the Russian aggression.