KYIV. Aug 21 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Some 32.6% of Ukrainians support granting of a special status to the uncontrolled territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which provides for autonomy within Ukraine. These are the data of the all-Ukrainian sociological survey of the population conducted by the Social Monitoring Center from August 8 to 15, 2020, presented at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Friday.

When asked what options for solving the problem of the uncontrolled territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the respondents support, 32.6% answered that they support granting of a special status to these territories, which provides for autonomy within Ukraine, 23.3% - the official recognition that these territories in the next years cannot be returned to Ukraine and their isolation from Ukraine, 20.8% - the continuation of hostilities aimed at resuming full control of Ukraine over these territories by military means, and 23.3% found it difficult to answer the question.

Also, when asked whether it is necessary to conduct direct negotiations with Russia to overcome the military conflict in Donbas, 69.7% answered that it was necessary, 18.6% - no, 11.7% found it difficult to answer.

In addition, when asked whether it is necessary to conduct direct negotiations with the leaders of self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics to achieve peace, 50.6% answered that it was necessary, 39.4% - not necessary, 10% found it difficult to answer.

In the course of the poll "Opinion and Views of the Population of Ukraine, August 2020", 3012 respondents were interviewed, sampling error was 1.1-1.83%.