The Think Ukraine analytical center presented the results of two sociological studies: Corruption in Ukraine: Threat or Opportunity? and Ukrainians Abroad.
The studies were conducted as part of the annual “Country Project” program and examine how Ukrainians inside the country and abroad assess the key challenges facing the state, the conditions for returning home, attitudes toward corruption, and expectations from the government.
Corruption remains one of the country’s main problems
According to the study, 90.5% of Ukrainians consider corruption to be one of the country’s main problems. Real anti-corruption efforts are the primary expectation from the authorities for 34.4% of respondents.
Other key priorities identified by Ukrainians include:
- return of prisoners of war — 33.9%;
- development of Ukraine’s defense industry — 31.9%;
- economic development — 28.5%.
At the same time, the research revealed a gap between personal experience and public perception of corruption. While 59.4% of Ukrainians said they had not encountered corruption since February 24, 2022, top-level officials and national politicians are still perceived as the most corrupt actors.
Among the sectors where citizens personally encountered corruption, respondents most frequently mentioned:
- healthcare system — 36.7%;
- Territorial Recruitment Centers (TCCs) — 30.2%;
- local authorities — 27.8%;
- police — 25.2%.
A separate section of the study focused on citizens’ willingness to report corruption. 32.3% of respondents said they would not report corruption within the organization where they work. The main reasons include distrust in the punishment of offenders, fear of retaliation or dismissal, and the difficulty of proving corruption cases.
At the same time, 85.1% of Ukrainians said they would not vote for politicians they consider effective if those politicians were found to be involved in corruption schemes.
Ukrainians abroad: integration continues, but most still consider returning
The second Think Ukraine study focused on Ukrainians who are currently living abroad due to the war.
According to the findings, a significant share of Ukrainians have already integrated into their host countries. 54.2% reported satisfactory or good knowledge of the local language. Meanwhile, 53.7% are already employed, and another 28.7% plan to find work in the near future.
Most children of Ukrainians abroad attend local schools or kindergartens. Only 11.6% study in Ukrainian online schools, while another 5.0% attend local Ukrainian-language schools.
Despite gradual integration, 58.4% of Ukrainians abroad plan to return to Ukraine. Another 26.2% do not plan to return, while 4.5% would like to relocate elsewhere, but not to Ukraine.
The main conditions for returning are:
- cessation of missile and drone attacks — 53.2%;
- signing of a peace agreement — 41.6%;
- availability of jobs — 27.2%;
- NATO membership or security guarantees from the US and EU — 24.5%.
Ukrainians abroad have different priorities
Ukrainians living abroad define government priorities differently. For them, economic development is the top priority.
Top 3 priorities among Ukrainians abroad:
- economic development — 44.6%;
- fighting corruption — 38.1%;
- return of prisoners of war — 34.7%.
At the same time, the development of Ukraine’s defense industry for further victory over Russia is less important for Ukrainians abroad than for those who remain in Ukraine.
The study also recorded differences in language use. At home, 30.7% of Ukrainians abroad primarily speak Russian, compared to 17.0% in Ukraine. Meanwhile, 50.0% abroad primarily speak Ukrainian, compared to 67.2% in Ukraine.
Methodology
The study “Corruption in Ukraine: Threat or Opportunity?” was conducted from April 4 to April 14, 2026, across all territories of Ukraine except temporarily occupied areas. A total of 1,202 respondents were surveyed using the CATI telephone interview method. The margin of error is 2.83%.
The study “Ukrainians Abroad” was conducted from April 14 to April 18, 2026, among adult Ukrainians temporarily residing abroad due to the war. A total of 404 respondents in 29 countries were surveyed using the CATI telephone interview method. The margin of error is 4.88%.
