News

Rating Group, Voluntas, and UN Women in Ukraine have released the Gender Impact Assessment of the Energy Crisis in Ukraine ahead of the fifth winter of the full-scale war.

The study was conducted by Voluntas and Rating Group on behalf of UN Women as part of the global TransformCare initiative, with financial support from the UK International Development programme of the Government of the United Kingdom.

According to a nationwide survey of Ukraine's adult population (1,200 respondents) conducted by Rating Group on February 25–26, 2026, using the CATI method:

• almost three-quarters of women (74%) have no backup energy source – among men, slightly more than half (52%);
• 56% of women and 35% of men reported moderate or serious financial difficulties;
• 42% of women and 24% of men felt less safe because of power outages;
• 44% of women and 26% of men take on the main childcare responsibilities.

Based on the results, UN Women recommends that the Government, the UN Humanitarian Country Team, and donors recognize caregivers as a priority group when preparing for winter, help households with backup energy supply, and make Points of Invincibility safe and accessible for women.

As noted by UN Women Representative in Ukraine Sabine Fraser Güneş:

"Women are preparing for another winter energy crisis with even less access to security, livelihoods, education, healthcare, and opportunities to take part in decision-making. At the same time, women's needs are growing, while international humanitarian and development assistance aimed at tackling gender inequality is shrinking. Decisions on investments in strengthening the resilience of the energy system and on preparing for the winter period are being made right now, and it is crucial that they take women's priorities into account and that women's rights organizations have enough resources to continue providing life-saving services this winter as well."

Rating Group Co-founder and CEO Oleksii Antypovych emphasized the practical importance of the study for Ukraine's current challenges:

"We all understand that another difficult winter lies ahead, and it is important to prepare for it in advance. The joint study with UN Women and Voluntas is very timely: based on the experience of winter 2025–2026, we can see who needs what kind of support the most and where additional preparation for winter is needed. And the gender dimension is very important here: a difficult winter creates additional challenges for women, who often take on, for example, most of the childcare."

Rating Group is one of Ukraine's largest research institutions, operating since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has extensive experience conducting sociological surveys in Ukraine and abroad. The group includes the Rating Sociological Group, the Rating Lab research laboratory, the Rating Online platform, and the Rating Call Center.

Rating Group CEO Oleksiy Antypovych presented the results of the study "Assessment of Communities' Readiness for Veterans' Reintegration" at the final event of the two-year project by the International Organization for Migration (IOM Ukraine) "Social Cohesion and Veterans' Reintegration in Ukraine," implemented with financial support from the European Union.

The event brought together representatives of IOM, the European Union, Ukraine's Ministry of Veterans Affairs, state and local authorities, the veterans' community, civil society organizations, and project partners. In this expert circle, participants summed up two years of work and discussed further solutions for the reintegration of male and female veterans in communities.

The study was conducted by Rating Group in partnership with IOM and Ukraine's Ministry of Veterans Affairs. It covered the population of communities, members of veterans' families, and veterans themselves, and made it possible to assess communities' readiness for veterans' reintegration across key areas.

Overall, communities' readiness for reintegration stands at 3.2 out of 5 among the general population and 3.1 out of 5 among veterans' family members and veterans living with them.

The strongest areas are social support for veterans and largely conflict-free everyday interaction, while the weakest are accessibility, employment, and business conditions.

This work continues Rating Group's long-running cooperation with IOM on veterans' issues. Previously, the two teams jointly studied the accessibility and effectiveness of social benefits and services for war veterans, the barriers veterans face when interacting with the support system, and practical challenges of reintegration.

Rating Group is one of Ukraine's largest research institutions, operating since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has extensive experience conducting sociological surveys in Ukraine and abroad. The group includes the Rating Sociological Group, the Rating Lab research laboratory, the Rating Online platform, and the Rating CATI Center.

CEO Rating Group Oleksiy Antypovych took part in a discussion of the "Methodology for Auditing Veterans Policy and Assessing Community Capacity," developed by the Kyiv School of Public Administration named after Serhiy Nyzhnyi in cooperation with Ukraine's Ministry of Veterans Affairs. The methodology is designed to help assess how veterans policy at the local level meets the actual needs of veterans and their families.

Among the experts taking part were representatives of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, IOM Ukraine, the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine, the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the public organization "Ukrainian Institute of the Future," and GIZ Ukraine.

For Rating Group, taking part in this kind of expert discussion continues its systematic work on veterans' issues. In recent years the team has researched veterans' needs, their adaptation to civilian life, access to social services and education, and experiences of stigmatization, in partnership with the Ukrainian Veterans Fund under Ukraine's Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the International Organization for Migration, the EU Advisory Mission, and other partners.

Based on the discussion, the experts stressed the importance of further developing an approach to evaluating and shaping veterans' policy, decisions, and recommendations based on data.

Rating Group is one of Ukraine's largest research institutions, operating since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has extensive experience conducting sociological surveys in Ukraine and abroad. The group includes the Rating Sociological Group, the Rating Lab research laboratory, the Rating Online platform, and the Rating CATI Center.

Ukraine has recently seen an increase in telephone fraud. In some cases, scammers pose as representatives of the Sociological Group "Rating" (Rating Group) and ask citizens for personal information such as passport details and home addresses.

Remember: Rating Group never asks respondents for personal data. We work according to international standards of sociological research (ICC/ESOMAR, WAPOR, and others) and value the trust citizens place in us. It is very important to us that respondents feel safe and comfortable.

From now on, there is a special electronic form on the website that verifies whether a respondent is really being called by Rating Group.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to represent Rating Group, enter the number the call came from into the form, and it will show immediately whether it is really one of our numbers.

For more on how to protect yourself from fraud, see the "Antifraud" page.

Rating Group is one of Ukraine's largest research institutions, operating since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has extensive experience conducting sociological surveys in Ukraine and abroad. The group includes the Rating Sociological Group, the Rating Lab research laboratory, the Rating Online platform, and the Rating CATI Center.

"Women in Business: Economics and Entrepreneurship Trends in Ukraine" is a joint analytical study by the visual communications agency Top Lead and Rating Group (the Sociological Group "Rating"), in partnership with the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and YouControl.

Rating Group acted as General Partner and funded the survey that formed the basis of the study. In March 2026, we learned the opinions, plans, and outlook of 602 women entrepreneurs and 300 potential women entrepreneurs in Ukraine.

Below is an introduction from Tetiana Skrypchenko, Deputy Director of Rating Group and Managing Partner of Rating Online, and Maryna Treshchova (Budnik), Deputy Director and Partner at Top Lead.

Read the full report on the Rating Group website or on the platform from Top Lead.

Tetiana Skrypchenko, Deputy Director of Rating Group, Managing Partner of Rating Online

"We at Rating Group believe that every person is capable of finding a way to bring their ideas to life. That's why, together with Top Lead, we carried out this study and gathered key insights from current and future women entrepreneurs. Important cross-cutting ideas:

"Business is freedom"

This idea unites both current and potential entrepreneurs. Respondents say business means financial security, but money isn't the only goal. For many, it's a chance to realize themselves and bring their own ideas to life.

"Fortune favors the bold"

The most common advice from women entrepreneurs to those who only dream of starting their own business: "believe in yourself," "don't give up," "take risks." Barriers at the start are inevitable, so the decisive factor becomes the courage to take the first step. Our data show that women entrepreneurs are less conservative in their values, more open to new things, and more oriented toward success.

Women's business still faces bias

especially in interactions with clients, though perceptions of women in business are gradually changing.

Women entrepreneurs say business makes it possible to combine the professional and the personal.

At the same time, the data also record the high price of that combination: losses to physical and mental health.

Even the most successful need support, since they are simultaneously developing themselves, their families, and the country. We hope that this joint project with Top Lead will help women see their opportunities more clearly and move forward with more confidence."

Maryna Treshchova (Budnik), Deputy Director and Partner at Top Lead

"Over the past five years, the Ukrainian economy has gone through hell that would have destroyed any other system. The shock of 2022, lost assets, broken logistics arteries. But instead of a complete stop, we saw the miracle of adaptation. And at the center of this titanic resistance were women. Those who didn't just hold the home front, but became a new pillar for the country.

Dry statistics record the fall in GDP and trade imbalances. But numbers say nothing about sleepless nights, the courage of relocation, and the boldness to start from zero.

Women's entrepreneurship today isn't about pretty trends.

It's about the survival of the country. It's about business that opens despite the circumstances, creates jobs, and gives hope to communities.

This book is a portrait of the modern Ukrainian woman entrepreneur, told in the language of data.

It's about how 32% of women, despite shelling and blackouts, are preparing to launch their own business right now.

About how 65.6% of them are desperately looking for financing, overcoming a lack of resources and management experience.

This study is our manifesto of faith in their strength.

Because supporting women in business today is the smartest investment in our shared tomorrow.

Thank you to everyone who doesn't stop. Be inspired!"

CEO Rating Lab, Prof. Mariana Tkalych, received a Certificate of Honor from the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for her significant contribution to "Carpathian Change" — a project for the mental and physical recovery of children from Ukraine's front-line regions.

"Carpathian Change" is a joint initiative of the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Association of Football, and regional military administrations. In June, as part of the pilot project in the Zakarpattia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi regions, 1,700 children aged 9–12 from front-line regions (including children of service members, veterans, and fallen defenders, children of law enforcement officers, and children whose families were significantly affected by shelling, among others) took part in camps featuring team sports, group activities, and socialization, with the involvement of representatives of Ukrainian football.

At the Forum on the project's implementation on July 9, 2026, its interim results were discussed. Participants included Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity Denys Uliutin, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Viktor Mykyta, representatives of host communities, regional military administrations, and camp coordinators.

Rating Lab's research became the analytical basis for "Carpathian Change"

According to earlier research by Rating Lab (Rating Group's research laboratory), the level of stress among teenagers in Ukraine rose from 28% to 37% between 2024 and 2025. Our research shows that playing sports and having a favorite hobby or pastime noticeably reduce stress, yet a significant share of children practically never play sports (the most difficult situation is among girls aged 14–18, where 36% practically never play sports).

These findings became the impetus and basis for developing the important "Carpathian Change" camp project. The idea was to support the mental and physical health of children from front-line regions through a safe environment, interaction with peers, sports, a cultural program, and other activities.

Project results

At the forum, Mariana Tkalych presented the main results of a survey of the children who took part in the camps:

• The overwhelming majority of children liked "Carpathian Change" — 80% rated their camp experience positively.
• Most children spoke warmly of their interactions with peers and with "Carpathian Change" coaches and instructors.
• 73% of participants said that during their time at the camp, their emotional state generally improved.

The study's results indicate that the project has the potential to grow into a full-fledged program and to help improve mental health for a larger number of children affected by the war.

Rating Group is one of Ukraine's largest research institutions, operating since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has extensive experience conducting sociological surveys in Ukraine and abroad. The group includes the Rating Sociological Group, the Rating Lab research laboratory, the Rating Online platform, and the Rating Call Center.

The Sociological Group "Rating" (Rating Group), Ukraine's Ministry of Education and Science (MES), and UNICEF Ukraine have shared the results of a joint study, "Parents' and Caregivers' Attitudes toward and Engagement with Preschool Education and Child Development in Ukraine."

For this study, in February 2026 Rating Group surveyed 2,500 parents and caregivers of children under 6 across Ukraine.

       "We are glad to continue Rating Group's fruitful cooperation with UNICEF and the Ministry of Education and Science. Projects like this provide a foundation for evidence-based policy decisions for children's wellbeing…"        — Oleksiy Antypovych, co-founder and CEO of Rating Group

The study's results show that among parents' main expectations of preschools are opportunities for children to socialize with peers (77%) and support for early development (49%). In addition, three-quarters of parents of children aged 0–6 who attend or are enrolled in preschool report mostly positive changes in their child since they started attending.

       "The first years of life are decisive for a child's development, and quality preschool education is the best investment in that future…"        — Shamiza Abdullah, Deputy Representative of the UNICEF Office in Ukraine

The main barrier to enrolling a child in preschool is primarily the security situation (cited directly by a third of parents of children aged 0–6, with another 13% citing the lack of a shelter).

       "Despite all the challenges of the war, parents increasingly see preschools as an important space for their child's development…"        — Anastasiia Konovalova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine for Preschool Education

Rating Group is one of Ukraine's largest research institutions, operating since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has extensive experience conducting sociological surveys in Ukraine and abroad. The group includes the Rating Sociological Group, the Rating Lab research laboratory, the Rating Online platform, and the Rating CATI Center.

KYIV, UKRAINE – On May 19, at UNIT.City, the teams of Rating Lab and Sociological Group "Rating" (Rating Group) participated in the presentation of "Carpathian Shift," a project aimed at restoring the mental and physical health of children from frontline regions. Ihor Tyshchenko, founder of Rating Group and Rating Lab, and Marianna Tkalyk, CEO of Rating Lab, who presented the research results on changes in children's mental health and well-being during wartime, attended the event.

The "Carpathian Shift" project is organized by regional military administrations and the Ukrainian Association of Football with the support of the President of Ukraine. In June, 1,700 children aged 9–12 from Zakarpattia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi regions will participate in camps featuring team sports, group activities, and socialization, with the involvement of Ukrainian football representatives. 

The analytical basis for the project was a study by Rating Lab / Rating Group – its results were presented at the event by Marianna Tkalyk, CEO of Rating Lab and Doctor of Psychological Sciences,  Marianna Tkalyk.

The research data show that while 28% of children experienced elevated or high stress levels in 2024, this figure is projected to reach 37% by the end of 2025. Physical activity combined with communication and group formats is one of the important resources for supporting mental health, reducing stress, and building resilience in children. However, a challenge exists: one in four children hardly engages in sports.

“We are very pleased that the research results have become the foundation for developing such an important program as "Carpathian Shift." We hope that as many children as possible from frontline regions will be able to participate, as this will foster stress resilience, contribute to their mental well-being, and support their physical development,” - Marianna Tkalyk, CEO Rating Lab

During the panel discussion, the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Viktor Mykyta and the President of the Ukrainian Association of Football Andriy Shevchenko emphasized the importance of the research results for developing practical solutions at national and regional levels.

“This is a very important study, containing many specific messages and points that are crucial for communities to hear and understand. For example, we think we know how children think and feel. But that's a mistake – children perceive all of this differently [...] Our task is to understand what children truly think and to create developmental programs for them. High intellect and education are one direction. But there's also a second direction, because everything starts with movement; it's the foundation for our [health],” – Viktor Mykyta, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine

“From the research, we see that sport is a stress reliever for both children and adults; for boys and for girls. [...] It is very important to unite efforts not only within the context of this project – it is crucial to collectively build sports infrastructure comprehensively,” – Andriy Shevchenko, President of UAF

The ISSP Ukraine team — representatives of Rating Group and the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine — took part in the General Meeting of the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP), held in Prague on 25–29 April 2026.

The event brought together researchers from 33 countries to discuss future ISSP thematic modules, methodological approaches, and the development of international cooperation in the field of comparative social research.

As a reminder, in February 2025, Ukraine — represented through the partnership between Rating Group and the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine — became the 45th member country of the ISSP. In the same year, Ukraine conducted a survey under the “Digital Societies” module. The results were presented at the 5th Congress of the Sociological Association of Ukraine in November 2025.

Ukraine was represented at the General Meeting by ISSP Ukraine co-coordinators Igor Tyshchenko, founder of Rating Group; Yevhen Krotevych, Head of Analytics at Rating Group; and Yelena Kovalska, PhD in Sociology, Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Social Structures of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

“Representing Ukraine at the ISSP General Meeting is the result our team has been working towards for two years. It is not only about formally securing Ukraine’s membership in the ISSP community, but also about creating opportunities for cooperation with leading sociologists from the global academic community” - Yevhen Krotevych, Head of Analytics at Rating Group and ISSP Ukraine co-coordinator.

Preparations for the General Meeting were carried out in close cooperation with the entire ISSP Ukraine team, including ISSP Ukraine co-coordinator Olena Symonchuk, Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Head of the Department of Social Structures at the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; Svitlana Oksamytna, Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Leading Research Fellow at the Department of Social Structures of the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; Tetiana Skrypchenko, Deputy Director of Rating Group; and other colleagues.

“For Ukraine, participation in the ISSP General Meeting is not only a symbolic return to the research community of this international project, but also a practical opportunity to contribute to shaping the future agenda of comparative social research. It is important that, in the first year after renewing its membership, the Ukrainian team not only conducted two surveys based on international modules, but also joined professional discussions on methodology, data quality, and new challenges for sociology. For us, this is also a way to make the Ukrainian experience — including the experience of conducting surveys in wartime — visible to the international research community” - Olena Symonchuk, Head of the Department of Social Structures at the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and ISSP Ukraine co-coordinator.

During the General Meeting, representatives of ISSP Ukraine took part in discussions on the results of international social surveys, shared their experience of data collection in wartime, and discussed methodological challenges with colleagues from other countries.

• The Ukrainian team contributed to the discussion and voting on future ISSP modules: Social Networks and Social Resources 2027, Religion 2028, and Social Inequality 2029.
• Special attention was paid to methodological issues, the improvement of data collection documentation, the analysis of quantitative studies, and the use of AI for coding occupations according to the international ISCO classification.
• In addition, the ISSP Ukraine team shared its experience of adapting sociological research to wartime conditions, in particular through the use of CATI RDD methods, and received valuable feedback from colleagues.

After returning to Kyiv, the Rating Group and Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine teams continued working on the finalisation of the dataset from the recent ISSP “Work Orientations” 2025 survey.

On April 30, 2026, Kyiv hosted the graduation ceremony for the second cohort of the "Community Recovery School" – an educational initiative aimed at strengthening the capacity of communities in Ukraine's recovery process.

During the event, Oleksii Antypovych, CEO of Rating Group, presented an analytical block dedicated to migration sentiments and the challenges of preserving human capital. He commented on what can be done to retain human capital in Ukraine, based on the results of Rating Group surveys.

"The main motivations for going abroad are economic well-being and wages, as well as higher living standards abroad. Therefore, the economic development of communities and the creation of opportunities for personal growth will be the factors that can retain human capital in Ukraine," noted Oleksii Antypovych.

Rating Group's analytical contribution became part of a broader discussion on recovery strategies in Ukraine. The event brought together representatives of the government, parliament, local self-government, international organizations, and think tanks.

Rating Group's participation in the event underscores the role of analytical research in Ukraine's recovery process, particularly in understanding public sentiment, migration processes, and factors influencing the preservation of human potential.

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Rating Group is one of Ukraine's largest research institutions, operating since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has extensive experience in conducting sociological surveys both within Ukraine and abroad. The group includes: Sociological Group Rating, Rating Lab research laboratory, Rating Online platform, and Rating Call Center.

KYIV, UKRAINE - On April 28, 2026, Sociological Group "Rating" (Rating Group), together with NACP and with the support of the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine, presented the results of the study «Corruption in Ukraine 2025: Expert Views and Assessments».

The study covers assessments by the expert community regarding the prevalence of corruption in Ukraine generally and in specific areas, as well as the perception of the effectiveness of the state's anti-corruption policy.

According to Oleksii Antypovych, CEO of Rating Group, the results of the study are an important tool for understanding how the expert community assesses anti-corruption policy and how the situation changes over time.

"We asked how the level of corruption in Ukraine has changed over the past 12 months. 33% of experts responded that it increased, 41% said it remained unchanged, and 20% said it decreased. Among the population, the assessment is significantly more pessimistic: 66% of surveyed Ukrainians reported an increase in corruption. This indicates the media prominence of the topic of corruption: the more it is discussed, the higher its perceived level appears to be." - Oleksii Antypovych, CEO of Rating Group

The presentation and discussion brought together representatives of the NACP, the OSCE, the expert community, and civil society organizations. Participants included Viktor Pavlushchyk, Dmytro Kalmykov, Mykola Davydiuk, and Anastasiia Mazurok. The event was moderated by journalist and editor Andrii Kulykov.

Importantly, the study was conducted by Rating Group in accordance with the approved recommendations of the NACP. This allows its findings to be used as part of the state monitoring system for evaluating the effectiveness of anti-corruption policy.

More materials:

• Video of the study presentation
• ‍Press release of the study

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Rating Group is one of the largest research institutions in Ukraine, operating in the market since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has significant experience in conducting sociological surveys both in Ukraine and abroad. The group includes: Sociological Group Rating, research laboratory Rating Lab, platform Rating Online, and Rating Call Center.

On April 6, 2026, the Club of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine held a meeting of the Coordinating Council on the establishment of Ukrainian national and civic identity with the participation of co-chairs. The focus of the meeting was to work with Ukrainians abroad, in particular young people, as well as the issue of strengthening Ukrainian national and civic identity.

CEO of Sociological Group “Rating” (Rating Group) Oleksiy Antypovych joined the discussion and presented the results of the study “Impact of War on Youth in Ukraine 2025”. We remind that in the framework of the study we interviewed more than 2 thousand Ukrainians aged 14-35 years in Ukraine and 600 representatives of Ukrainian youth in the countries of the European Union. The study was conducted for initiatives of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the Government of Denmark.

• The majority of young people remain optimistic about the future: 78% of young people in Ukraine and 59% abroad rate it as encouraging.
• The study also shows a high level of civic engagement: 53% of young people in Ukraine and 51% have experience in volunteering.
• 77% of young people in Ukraine are ready to join the recovery in their community.

Following the meeting, it was emphasized on the need to strengthen support for Ukrainian communities abroad, develop youth programs and create conditions for involving young people in Ukraine's reconstruction.

“54% of young Ukrainians abroad experience loneliness or lack of communication. For comparison: among young people in Ukraine much less, about 17%. Also, young people abroad are much more likely to feel uncertain about their future. This confirms the critical importance of keeping in touch with our citizens who have been forced to travel abroad because of the war.” Oleksiy Antypovych, CEO Rating Group

According to the results of the meeting where the Rating Group data were presented, the Coordinating Council approved a series of recommendations for establishing national identity and maintaining contact with Ukrainian youth abroad.

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Rating Group is one of the largest research institutions in Ukraine, which has been on the market since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has significant experience in conducting sociological surveys in Ukraine and abroad. The group includes: Sociological Group Rating, Research Lab Rating Lab, Rating Online platform and Rating Call Center.

On March 17, 2026, the study “Impact of War on Youth in Ukraine 2025" was presented in Kyiv.

This year's wave of survey was conducted by Sociological Group “Rating” (Rating Group) on the initiative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the Government of Denmark. The research project demonstrates how Ukrainian youth feel and change during a full-scale war.

The study surveyed more than 2,000 respondents aged 14-35 years in Ukraine and 600 in EU countries. As evidenced by the results presented by the co-founder and CEO Rating Group Oleksiy Antypovych Ukrainian youth remain optimistic despite the circumstances. Thus, 78% of young people in Ukraine and 59% abroad answered that they believe in their future. Oleksiy Antypovych comments:

When I'm asked, “What would you explore next?” I say that you need to explore the future. And young people - this is the future of our country

‍ During the presentation, the participants discussed in particular:

• the impact of war is not the mental health of young people;
• to inform young people about their role in the development and reconstruction of Ukraine;
• priorities of young people;
• ‍ assessment of socio-economic opportunities for young people.

The participants of the event also noted the importance of such studies for the formation of evidence-based state youth policy on the basis of raw data. Olena Ursu, Head of the UNDP Project Group on Democratic Governance in Ukraine, observes:

“Young people demonstrate considerable resilience and willingness to participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine. [...] At the same time, the results of the study show that young people need additional support. That is why it is important that decisions in the field of youth policy are made on the basis of data that will allow young people to fully realize their potential and play an active role in the development and recovery of Ukraine.

Similar opinion expresses Uliana Tokarieva, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine:

“It is important for us to speak about reality as it is, to speak in the language of facts and the language of research that can influence the decisions we make at both the national and local levels. The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine is always open to cooperation and to building new partnerships, to form such decisions that can already meet the needs of young people”

Rating Group is launching a special research project titled “Common Contours” — a survey exploring Ukraine in a European context.

The aim of the project is to help Ukrainian society, experts, and partners identify shared socio-cultural and political contours between Ukraine and the EU. This means supporting a more conscious process of European integration, understanding Ukraine’s strengths, while also recognizing existing challenges.

To achieve this, we mirror questions and compare data from our surveys of Ukrainians with data from other surveys conducted in EU countries and EU candidate countries.

"Ukraine is an important part of the broader European puzzle. It is essential to understand who we are within this puzzle, what our unique qualities are, and how we, together with EU and European countries, can strengthen one another. This is both about our identity and about what we share with other countries", – commented Hlib Kuzmenko, research expert and Head of Communications at Rating Group.

The first release of “Common Contours” has already been published on the Rating Group website. It focuses on how Ukrainians perceive the European Union and how these views differ from those of citizens in other European countries.

Today our social research laboratory Rating Lab celebrates its 5th anniversary! 🎂

When you are a scientist, sometimes you want to step outside the academic bubble. And when you work in applied sociology, sometimes you want to understand the world more deeply.

That is why in 2021, Rating Group founder Ihor Tyshchenko and Professor, Doctor of Psychological Sciences Marianna Tkalych established a research laboratory designed to combine “the best of both worlds” and strengthen Ukrainian science:

💙 the speed and resources of applied sociological research provided by Rating Group

💙 the academic depth and expertise of the social sciences

Over these five years, Rating Lab has become a driver of a series of bold social research projects and methodological developments:

• the Family 360° family research technology, which compares the responses of children and their parents
• a comprehensive study of well-being and mental health among adolescents and their parents, conducted with leading child and family psychologist Svitlana Roiz
• a unique mine safety study among adolescents and their parents for UNICEF Ukraine, the results of which were used in educational campaigns by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and by the developers of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2
• “Mind Frames”, a study of mental health and resilience among adolescents, parents, and youth conducted together with UNICEF and the “How Are You?” (Ty Yak?) initiative
• the Regional Well-being Index rankings for 2023 and 2024
• a study of perceptions of gender stereotypes and family models, which will be released very soon

And there are also several unique developments related to audience segmentation within Ukrainian society, which we are not yet ready to discuss publicly. Often, the most interesting work remains behind the scenes.

Today we are proud of this team and of the synergy between Academia × Business. Congratulations to our colleagues, and thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey!

The Rating Group sociological agency has published the first results of the End of Year Survey 2025 as part of the Gallup International global project!

The End of Year Survey (EoY) is a global annual survey conducted by the international sociological association Gallup International on the future, happiness and expectations of the population of different countries. In 2025, 59,636 respondents in 60 countries around the world were surveyed. In Ukraine, the End of Year Survey has been conducted by Rating Group for the third year in a row.

To this end, in November 2025, the team asked 1,000 citizens about their views on the overall situation, expectations for economic development, world peace, pressing issues and trends.

Why is this important?

Conducting EoY means representing Ukraine in prestigious international studies. Gallup International Association was founded in 1947 by George Gallup, one of the fathers of modern scientific public opinion polling, and brings together respected research organisations from around the world.

In turn, End of Year is the Association's flagship annual survey. It is one of the largest internationally coordinated surveys of public opinion in the world.

When will the publications be released?

Traditionally, EoY international data is divided into several thematic blocks and released gradually throughout the year.

The first issue of the EoY series has already been released. Its theme is Ukrainians' general expectations for the coming year.

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Rating Group is one of Ukraine's largest research institutions, operating since 2008. The company is registered in Ukraine and has extensive experience in conducting sociological surveys in Ukraine and abroad. The group includes: Sociological Group Rating, Rating Lab research laboratory, Rating Online platform, and Rating Call Centre.

The Rating Group continues to research veteran issues and promote evidence-based public policy in the veteran sphere.

On 23 December 2025, together with the Ukrainian Veterans Fund of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, we presented the results of a new joint study, ‘Problems of War Veterans in Ukraine’ (part of the ‘Portrait of a Veteran 2025’ project). This is a continuation of our history of effective cooperation with the UVF, which has been ongoing since 2022.

In December, Rating Group researchers surveyed 240 defenders of Ukraine about their needs, support programmes, and challenges. As the company's CEO Oleksii Antypovych said during the presentation, Ukrainian veterans' greatest need is for material and medical support. According to the survey, 50% and 43% of veterans indicated this, respectively.

At the same time, a third of veterans feel that society does not give veterans the respect they deserve, and a significant proportion also doubt the effectiveness of state support. Therefore, Oleksii Antypovych emphasises:

"Our defenders are people who risk their lives and health for the sake of everyone, and it is important that society shows its gratitude. Such studies help us understand what kind of support veterans really expect. For example, Ukrainians often think that veterans primarily need free psychological help. And, of course, mental health is extremely important. But our survey shows that veterans also have a huge demand for various forms of material support."

Nataliia Kalmykova, Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, noted the importance of sociological research in shaping state veterans policy, as it reveals the real needs of veterans.

"In particular, through [...] the Ukrainian Veterans Fund of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, we are implementing [veterans] policy — supporting veterans' businesses and community initiatives, as well as conducting systematic research. In the future, we will intensify this work by expanding support tools and relying on data and the real needs of veterans," said Nataliia Kalmykova, Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, about the Rating Group/UVF study.

This was confirmed by Karina Doroshenko, Executive Director of the UVF:

"Our work is based on research. In particular, in 2025, as part of the Varto programme, the Ukrainian Veterans Fund supported 336 projects [...] It is important for us that every figure in our report corresponds to the real needs of veterans," said Karina Doroshenko, Executive Director of the UVF, about the Rating Group/UVF study.

The Rating Group team would like to thank its partners at the Ukrainian Veterans Fund and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs for their cooperation and for the opportunity to help highlight the needs of defenders.

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The results of the study are available at the link.

Rating Group and Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine officially launch ISSP Ukraine!

In 2025, Ukraine became the 45th participating country of the ISSP (International Social Survey Programme). It is one of the oldest and largest sociology programs in the world. Rating Group and Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine are the official representatives of Ukraine in ISSP. Funding, collection and analysis of data is carried out by Rating Group, and scientific support is provided by the Institute of Sociology. Also, for the first time, a special site has been opened for Ukrainian researchers: ISSP Ukraine.

In the spring of 2025, we implemented the first research module “Digital Societies”, and here on December 4, ISSP representatives officially confirmed:

Rating Group data meets international quality standards and will be published within ISSP - ISSP Methodology Committee

Also, the ISSP team recognized our experimental author's methodology for data collection and gave the green light to the implementation of the second module - “Work Orientations”, which we plan to complete in the first half of 2026.

The leader and coordinator of the project from Rating Group is Yevhen Krotevych, Head of the Department of Analytics (Department of Experimental Research). We owe Yevhen the success of this project — from the ambitious initiative of representing Ukraine in the ISSP community, organizing data collection and preparation to communication with the ISSP Methodology Committee on approval of the Rating Group methodology.

About the special technique

The Rating Group proposed to the ISSP Methodology Committee an experimental application of the combined approach of CATI and CAWI for the survey on the module “Digital Societies” in Ukraine.

A feature of the proposed methodology is the division of the survey into two stages: CATI and CAWI.

On CATI stage, the survey begins with the generation of a random phone number to contact a potential respondent. After establishing the contact, the operators introduce the respondent to the topic of the survey, ask a few socio-demographic questions, and also ask their consent to participate in the second stage — the CAWI survey. Next, two scenarios are possible:

1. Respondents who do not have a smartphone or do not use the Internet are offered to take the survey by phone. In case of consent, the interviewer continues the survey within CATI.
2. Respondents who have a smartphone and agreed to take the survey online receive an SMS or a message in the messenger with an individual link to the survey on the online platform Rating Online. Switching to the link opens access to the CAWI stage (self-filling of the questionnaire at a convenient time for the respondent and in any place).

This allows to ensure random selection of respondents and comfortable participation in the survey.

When will it be possible to use the dataset?

The "Digital Societies" module data array should be publicly available in spring 2026 (preliminary). It can be used by all willing researchers, students, teachers and other interested parties.

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Rating Group thanks the project coordinators from the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for their cooperation Olena Symonchuk (Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Head of the Department of Social Structures) and Svitlana Oksamytna (Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Leading Researcher of the Department of Social Structures of the National Academy of Sciences)!

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On the related note: November 21, the ISSP Ukraine team previewed presented the first results of ISSP 2024 in Ukraine and announced the launch of the project website.

CEO of Rating Group, Oleksii Antypovych, took part in the All-Ukrainian Forum “Ukrainian Identity” held in Dnipro on 27 November 2025!

This annual event brings together the efforts of national and local authorities as well as civil society organisations working to strengthen Ukrainian national and civic identity. The forum is organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the Department for the Promotion of Ukrainian National and Civic Identity of the Ministry, the All-Ukrainian Association of United Territorial Communities, and the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration.

As part of the event’s first panel, Oleksii Antypovych presented the results of a nationally representative sociological study on the development of Ukrainian national and civic identity, together with Nataliia Hontarenko, Acting Head of the Department for the Promotion of Ukrainian National and Civic Identity at the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This survey was carried out by Rating Group in September 2025 at the request of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Key findings:

• The overwhelming majority of Ukrainians (99%) primarily identify as citizens of Ukraine, 87% as members of their ethnic group, and 75% as members of their local community.
• According to respondents, the most important factor in being considered Ukrainian is feeling Ukrainian (94%). Other widely supported criteria include respecting Ukrainian laws and the political system (89%), holding Ukrainian citizenship (86%), and feeling responsible for the situation in the country (84%).
• Overall, 73% believe that a person's nationality is defined by self-identification rather than the ethnic origin of their parents.
• Commemorating the memory of the war has become a cultural practice: 72% of Ukrainians regularly join the nationwide moment of silence, and an additional 18% do so occasionally.
• The most frequently visited forms of cultural memory include screenings of documentary and feature films about Ukraine, festivals dedicated to Ukrainian culture, museums, and memorial complexes.

More results can be found in the attached presentation and report.

Founders of Rating Group Ihor Tyshchenko and Oleksii Antypovych, together with the team, took part in the 5th Congress of the Sociological Association of Ukraine on 20–21 November 2025 at Karazin Kharkiv National University!

This is one of the largest social science conferences in Ukraine, held every five years, where leading Ukrainian researchers present their new findings.
This year’s theme was “Society and Sociology in an Exponential World: Research Challenges, Opportunities, and Prospects.” Rating Group is a permanent member of the Sociological Association of Ukraine, and the company’s CEO, Oleksii Antypovych, serves on its board.

The ISSP international study in Ukraine — first results

On 21 November, Rating Group and the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine presented the first results of the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) 2025 in Ukraine. The study was presented by Olena Symonchuk (Doctor of Sociology, Head of the Department of Social Structures at the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine), Ihor Tyshchenko (Founder and CEO of Rating Group) and Yevhen Krotevych, Head of the Analytics Department at Rating Group (Experimental Research Division).

Rating Group and the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine are the official ISSP representatives in Ukraine. In fact, for the first time in years, ISSP is represented in Ukraine at such an institutional level. The comprehensive academic supervision of the project is carried out by the Institute of Sociology, while Rating Group provides the funding, data collection, and analysis. The first implemented module was “Digital Society.”

In addition, the team announced the launch of the ISSP Ukraine project and website. ISSP Ukraine is a project that opens the door for Ukraine to the world of comparative sociological research under the ISSP programme. Thanks to strictly harmonized international standards, the results of Ukrainian surveys will now be integrated into global comparisons and international analytics.

What is the phenomenon behind Ukrainian resilience?

On 20 November, Rating Group CEO Oleksii Antypovych and SAU Vice President Nataliia Chernysh (Doctor of Sociology and Professor at the Department of Sociology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv) moderated the session “The Phenomenon of Ukrainian Resilience.”

Oleksii Antypovych and Nataliia Chernysh also presented the results of their joint study, “Problems of Social Cohesion in Ukraine.” The research covers topics such as Ukrainians’ self-identification, interpersonal trust, levels of social resilience, willingness to help others, and other key indicators of social cohesion.

The neighbouring session, “Educational Resilience in the Digital Age: Structural Shifts and Social Dilemmas,” was moderated by Roman Borysov, Head of the Analytics Department at Rating Group (Strategic Research Division), PhD in Sociology and Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Sociology and Media Communications of Karazin Kharkiv National University, together with Valentyna Chepak, Doctor of Sociology and Dean of the Faculty of Sociology at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

Roman Borysov also delivered a presentation titled “Perceptions of Ukrainian Higher Education Among Parents of (Prospective) Applicants.”

How does Ukrainian sociology continue to operate during wartime?

On 21 November, Oleksii Antypovych spoke at the second plenary session of the Congress. His presentation, “Sociological Surveys in Wartime: Opportunities and Limitations,” summarized the key challenges faced by Ukrainian sociology under wartime conditions and highlighted the best practices for conducting research in this context.