The press-release prepared by Darina Pirogova.

From December 14 to December 24, 2015 the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted All–Ukrainian poll of public opinion. There were interviewed 2013 respondents aged 18 and older, living in 108 populated localities of Ukraine (including Kiev), except the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Survey was conducted only in areas controlled by Ukraine in Lugansk region. Survey was conducted in both areas of Donetsk region: territories controlled by Ukraine and territories that are not controlled by Ukraine. The selection is representative for the population of Ukraine aged 18 years and older.

The statistical error of selection (with probability 0.95 and at design–effect 1.5) doesn't exceed the following: 3.3% for indicators which are close to 50%, 2,8% – for indicators which are close to 25%, 2,0% – for indicators which are close to 10%, 1.4%  – close to 5%.

• Little more than a half of the Ukrainian population - 52% consider that the Russian language should be the second official language only in those areas where the most people support this idea. The idea that the Russian language should be struck off the formal communication and the idea that the Russian language should be the second official language in Ukraine support approximately equal proportion of the respondents - 21% and 19% respectively.

• The proportion of those who consider that the Russian language should be recognized as the second official language of Ukraine has decreased significantly: there were of them 27% in 2013 and 19% in 2015.

• There is more supporters’ Russian language as the second official language in the Eastern and Southern regions than in the Western and Central regions. But in the Western and Central regions there are more supporters of struck off the Russian language from official communication in Ukraine than in the Southern and Eastern regions.

• The majority of the Ukrainian population supports the idea that in all regions of Ukraine should recognize the Russian language as the second official language only in those areas where the most people want it.

• According to the survey, if the referendum concerning the acceptance of the Russian language as an official language of the state took place, then almost 50% of population would have voted against and only the one third (33%) would have voted affirmatively. Another 9% would not participate in the voting and 10% could not decide.

• Only half of the Ukrainian population of the Eastern and Southern regions who would vote in a hypothetical referendum concerning recognizing the Russian language as the second official language really considers that the Russian language should recognize as the second official language. The rest of the Ukrainian population of these regions - 46% - considers that the Russian language should recognize as an official language only in those areas where the most people support this idea.

• For the population of the Eastern and Southern regions which would vote in the referendum to recognize the Russian language as the second official, only 51% consider that the Russian language should grant this status even in the case when there will be an opportunity to recognize the Russian language as the second official language in those localities where the majority of the population support this idea. The rest of the population of these regions - 46% - consider that the Russian language should recognize as the second official language only in those localities were the most people support this idea.