The government is experiencing a complete collapse in the eyes of Ukrainians - poll

A recent poll showed that over 80 percent of Ukrainians disapprove of the government's actions. Discontent is highest in government-controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The results of the public opinion poll were published on January 12. The poll was conducted by the 'Rating' group in Ukraine on behalf of the International Republican Institute and was funded by the Government of Canada.

In particular, the research showed that only 15 percent of Ukrainians nationwide and 8 percent in the two eastern regions believe that Ukraine is moving in the right direction.

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This pessimism is associated with a nationwide disbelief in government officials, who are not doing enough to maintain territory in the Donbass.

Moreover, 70 percent of the population nationwide and 78 percent in Donbass disapprove of the president's actions.

Approval of the Cabinet is even lower - 82 percent nationwide and 85 percent in Donbass disapprove of the government's actions. Similarly, only 11 percent nationwide rated the parliament's work positively, compared to 3 percent in Donbass.

Steven Nix, director of Eurasia programs at the International Republican Institute, claims that the findings of the study are significant.

'This should be a warning sign, the Ukrainian government and the international community must double their efforts to end the war and engage all citizens, especially the people of Donbass, in all aspects of Ukrainian political and public life', Nix stated.

The poll showed that 79 percent of Ukrainians nationwide and 81 percent in territory controlled by Ukraine in Donbass believe that the economic situation in the state has deteriorated over the past 12 months. Most respondents believe that the Ukrainian economy will worsen in 2016.

According to the poll conducted by the International Republican Institute, Ukrainians see the biggest problems in the country as war and corruption.

Most people still believe that it is the Kremlin that provoked the war in the east, which has claimed the lives of more than 9,000 people and left another 1.5 million people homeless.

Nevertheless, 75 percent of Donbass residents want to remain part of Ukraine. Additionally, only 11 percent of this group of respondents believe that the annexation of Crimea was actually a 'protection' of Russian-speaking citizens, while 41 percent stated that it was an illegal invasion and occupation of independent Ukraine.

The poll was conducted in all regions of Ukraine, excluding Crimea and the occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions among 1,800 randomly selected Ukrainians aged 18 and older.