Within the framework of a new survey, the Sociological Group “Rating” (Rating Group) and research laboratory Rating Lab learned how the emotional state of Ukrainians has changed after the difficult winter of 2026.

Monitoring study of emotional state has been carried out since 2020 on the initiative of Rating Lab

General findings

The emotional state of Ukrainians is recovering after a difficult winter

• In April 2026, we see an improvement: the proportion of those who feel stressed has decreased to 39% (compared to 51% in February).
• Another 24% said they felt calmer rather, and 36% hesitated.
• Relatively more often, less affluent respondents, residents of the East, talk about tension. Among women, young people feel better, and older women aged 51+ are the most stressed. Among men, we do not fix a clear trend.

How has the emotional state of Ukrainians changed since 2020?

• Before a full-scale invasion. In 2020-2021, the emotional state of Ukrainians fluctuated. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ukrainians were still relatively more likely to feel calm (44%) than tense (23%). Later in 2020, tensions were felt markedly more (33%). At the same time, as of March 2021, the emotional state recovered somewhat: the relative majority felt calm (43%).
• Since the beginning of a full-scale invasion. At this time emotional state deteriorated sharply. About 50% of Ukrainians directly noted significant tensions in April 2022.
• After the successes of the Armed Forces at the front, the liberation of part of the territories, the emotional state began to improve moderately. As of February 2023, a year since the start of the full-scale war, a third of Ukrainians indicated that they feel tension, a third - that they feel calm.
• Winter 2026. During the difficult winter of 2026, in the face of massive Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, constant blackouts of light, heat, Ukrainians experienced the peak of emotional tension since 2020 (51%). This share exceeded even the figure of April 2022 (the first months of a full-scale invasion).
• Spring 2026. In April 2026 — with the onset of spring and the improvement of the situation in the energy system — the emotional state of Ukrainians improved rapidly. The proportion of those experiencing significant stress decreased by 12 percentage points.

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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.