BRATISLAVA – A recent poll shows that 17% of Slovak citizens want Russia to win the ongoing war in Ukraine, a figure far higher than in neighbouring countries.
The same sentiment was expressed by only 4% of Poles and 7% of Czechs, the researchers at the Central European Digital Media Observatory (CEDMO) found.
A third of the Slovak population prefers a temporary peace with no clear winner, and a similar proportion wants Ukraine to win.
CEDMO data shows that the desire for Russia to win is stronger among people in Slovakia aged 65 and over, at 24%. On the other hand, more than half of Slovaks aged 16-24 want Ukraine to win.
These beliefs may be influenced by common disinformation narratives in the country. Politicians repeatedly claim that sanctions against Russia are not working and that Ukraine unexpectedly cut off gas supplies to Slovakia, leading to steep price increases.
In January, an AI-generated video showing a visibly drunk Ukrainian president was also widely shared, alongside a narrative that Ukraine is a fascist state that has extensively repressed Russian speakers on its territory.
(Barbara Zmušková | Euractiv.sk)