# Survey data on the Italian public's perception of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (March—August 2022)

## TL;DR

This paper presents survey data on how the Italian public reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine from March to August 2022.

## Contribution

The study provides longitudinal survey data on public sentiment and behavior in Italy during the early stages of the Ukraine conflict.

## Key findings

- The survey tracked emotional reactions, coping strategies, and solidarity behaviors over six months.
- It measured public trust in authorities and perceptions of Ukrainian refugees as a threat.
- Demographic data was collected to analyze variations in public opinion across different groups.

## Abstract

This article presents data collected through Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI), conducted in Italy with the aim of exploring the Italian population's reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and monitoring this reaction for the first six months of the attack through a six-round survey. Each round involved a representative sample of approximately 1010 (1007–1015) Italian adult citizens. Participants were asked questions about emotional reactions to the Russian invasion, coping strategies used, solidarity behaviour toward Ukrainian refugees, perceptions of refugees as a threat to the country, trust in national and international authorities to manage the international situation, and prospects for the future. Demographic data on the respondents were also collected. The survey design was developed by a research group from two universities (the University of Salento and the University of Foggia) and a European research centre, EICAP (European Institute of Cultural Analysis for Policy). The data provided in this article is a resource for researchers, public authorities, and other parties interested in surveying and studying public opinion. This dataset can be used to explore a wide range of topics, including prosocial behaviour and attitudes towards refugees in humanitarian emergencies.