Zelensky is firmly leading in public opinion polls

President Volodymyr Zelensky remains Ukraine’s
preferred choice for the post. He would be supported by 22.7% of voters if the
presidential election in Ukraine was held next Sunday, according to the results
of a poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) on
February 5-7. This percentage was calculated based on the polled citizens who
have already defined their best candidate (and 16.2% of all polled). The
results of another poll, published by the Razumkov Center last week, gave
Zelensky roughly the same figures – 23.1% of those with a made choice (15.8% of
all polled). And the third poll, conducted by Infosapiens and presented this
week, produced similar results: 28.8% of determined voters (17.1%) would
reelect Zelensky. 

According to KIIS, Zelensky’s predecessor Petro
Poroshenko would get 18.3% of votes among those those who decided on their
choice (13.1% of all polled), former prime minister and Batkivschyna party leader
Yulia Tymoshenko would receive 14.5% (10.3%), and leader of the Opposition
Platform – For Life party Yuriy Boiko would collect 11.4% (8.1%).

The Razumkov Center gave the second place to Yuriy
Boiko who would collect up to 20% of decided voters (13%), leaving both
Poroshenko and Tymoshenko out of the possible runoff. But Infosapiens predicts
the same runoff as in 2019, with Poroshenko gaining 20.4% of decided votes
(12.2%) while Boiko would get just 18.2% (10.8%).

Yuri Svirko: It has long been a Ukrainian tradition to start hating a newly elected
president as soon as his first year in office. Against this background,
Volodymyr Zelensky fares pretty well, despite the aftermath of COVID-19. Since
he is now not a political novice, Ukraine’s electoral choices are becoming more
structured, with pro-Russian forces improving their chances, as we are
observing.