The dynamics of attitude towards the 1932-33 Holodomor

•    According to the survey carried out by the Sociological Group "Rating", 82% of the citizens believe that the 1932-33 Holodomor was the Ukrainian people genocide. The number of those who do not support this thesis is 11%; 7% hesitate to answer. Compared to last year, the number of those who definitely agree with this statement has increased somewhat.

•    Within the regional context, the following differences have been recorded: the statement about the Holodomor as the genocide is shared by 95% of the Western citizens, 87% of the Center, 72% of the South, and 61% of the East. The rural residents are somewhat more inclined to support this thesis as compared to those urban. There are no significant differences in terms of age and education regarding this issue. At the same time, considering the ideological cut, those who regret the USSR collapse are much less inclined to support this statement. Nevertheless, even within this group, there is a relative majority of those who agree with the recognition of the Holodomor as the genocide of the Ukrainian people.

•    73% of the polled said that this year they would light a candle on the Holodomor Memorial Day in memory of the famine victims, 20% said they would not do that. Compared to last year, the number of those who intend to light a candle has increased somewhat.

•    This initiative finds somewhat higher support in the West and Center (87% and 74% respectively). Along with that, in the South (68%) and East (54%), a considerable number of the respondents also indicated that they would take part in this campaign.

•    The initiative to light a candle of memory is more likely to be supported by older respondents than by those younger. Also, those who do not regret the USSR collapse mentioned their intention to take part in this campaign somewhat more often. Accordingly, the majority of those who recognize the 1932-33 Holodomor as the genocide reveal the same intention. Nevertheless, even one-third of those who do not support the thesis have also declared their plans to light a candle.


Audience: residents of Ukraine aged 18 and older. The sample is representative in terms of age, gender, region, and settlement type. Total sample: 2000 respondents. Personal formalized interview (face-to-face). The margin of error does not exceed 2.2%. Period of the survey: 29 October – 4 November, 2019