Doubts Over Polling Data and a Controversial Rental Reform
Political analyst Yuriy Romanenko has cast doubt on a recent survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), which reported that 65% of Ukrainians are prepared to endure the war for as long as necessary. He argues that the public's true sentiments, particularly in Kyiv, may differ significantly from such official findings. Romanenko stressed that many people now refuse to participate in such polls, which could heavily skew the results.
"Show me the sociology: 'Are you ready, and for how long are you ready to endure the war?'. And KIIS comes out with this... 65% of us, it turns out, are ready to endure the war... People like me – 95% refuse to answer." - Yuriy Romanenko
Separately, Romanenko highlighted a critical situation in Kyiv related to failures in heating and electricity. He noted that in some buildings, indoor temperatures have dropped to match the outside cold because pipes have burst. This is causing residents to abandon their apartments, which could severely impact the city's housing stock.
"In Pechersk here, I know buildings where the temperature is already like outside, around zero... because the pipes have burst. And people are just leaving, moving away now... Kyiv stands to lose a lot of apartments from its housing stock now, and people will simply disperse. Landlords will lose income." - Yuriy Romanenko
Criticizing a statement by MP Olena Shuliak about a proposed rental market reform, Romanenko argued that the plan—which mandates registering lease agreements in the 'Diia' app and imposes fines for hiding income—could create additional hardships during an already difficult time. He emphasized that the current priority should be ensuring people have access to housing, not confronting them with new tax mechanisms.
- "What 'black market' rental? Right now you should be praying that people can find any housing at all, someplace to take shelter, so they don't leave the country." - Yuriy Romanenko
Romanenko also suggested that new tax initiatives could provoke further conflict between the state and citizens. "Well, it's clear there's a mechanism to 'report' someone... the state is provoking the traditional squabble," he noted. In his view, introducing such taxes could increase social tension, as people may feel deceived by their government. These critiques come as Ukraine balances wartime resilience with immense domestic pressures on infrastructure and the economy.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Therefore, according to Romanenko, accurately assessing the real mood in Ukraine requires paying closer attention to the views of citizens themselves, rather than relying solely on official statistical data that may not reflect reality.
Romanenko's words underscore the importance of incorporating subjective public opinion into sociological research, especially under conditions of war and economic strain. The heating problems in Kyiv and proposals for new rental taxes may point to growing social discomfort, demanding adequate solutions from the state. It is crucial for authorities to consider the population's actual needs to avoid a further escalation of social tension.