Ukrainian military to study public sentiment in southern Russia
The Ukrainian military has decided to conduct a sociological survey of the population of southern Russia. A tender for those wishing to fulfill this contract is open on the Ukrainian Prozorro public procurement website.
The documentation for the tender shows that the customer is military unit A4398. The Ukrainian Navy’s Center for Information and Psychological Operations, which was previously stationed in Sevastopol, operates under this code. After the Russian annexation of the Crimea, the Center moved to the city of Brovary and became known as the 72nd Head Center for Information and Psychological Operations of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine.
The value of the contract is 1.6 million UAH ($61,000 USD), which is equivalent to more than 3.8 million rubles at current exchange rates. The order must be completed within 105 days after the conclusion of the contract.
The military is interested in how satisfied the inhabitants of the Southern Federal District are with the current government authorities, their degree of influence on the socio-political situation in the region, and their financial situation. The researchers are also expected to determine the effectiveness of various information channels for working with different groups of citizens.
The contacted company should conduct at least twenty focus group discussions and 2,000 face-to-face interviews at home with respondents, and create an analytical report based on the research results.
The study should take place across five regions of Russia: Adygea, Kalmykia, Krasnodar Krai, Rostov and the Crimea.
The winner of the contract will be expected to identify the basic socio-cultural models and values of key target groups; form a list of topics relevant to these groups; identify the socio-demographic portrait – including sex, age, nationality, education, religious affiliation, profession, financial status, family status, and place of residence – for these the main target groups; and map their geographical distribution.
Additionally, the survey should show the respondents’ degree of satisfaction with the work of civil, political and administrative systems (including nongovernmental organizations, movements, parties, officials, and the president) in the study regions, including whether they are ready to defend their positions and participate in protest actions.
The military is also interested in the degree of social tension in the regions and its causes. The contractor must also identify the main communication channels preferred by each target group.
The work will be carried out between June 15 and October 1, 2018.