The attitude to a special military operation: by the materials from a focus group study of young people in Penza region 

Albina Sh. Dubina, Candidate of sociological sciences, associate professor of the sub-department of economic theory and international relations, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), E-mail: misurin@bk.ru
Svetlana A. Vlazneva, Candidate of pedagogical sciences, associate professor of the department of economic theory and international relations, Penza State University (Penza, Krasnaya str., 40, Russia), E-mail: vlaznevas@mail.ru 

Background. Today, our country is in an extremely contradictory position. The foreign policy course pursued by Russia in the global political arena in conditions of instability has a tremendous impact on the formation of attitudes towards foreign policy chal-lenges on the part of young people. One of the modern threats is the threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the country, which served as the basis for conducting a special military operation. The purpose of the article is to analyze the attitude of young people towards their education in Ukraine. Materials and methods. The article uses the results of a questionnaire survey of student youth (2023), empirical data obtained within the framework of focus groups among the youth of Penza region (2024), research materials from all-Russian centers. Results. The results of a questionnaire survey and focus groups are analyzed regarding the level of interest and concern of young people about the events taking place within the framework of their own, as well as their approval of the course towards a forceful solution to the conflict and the most preferable prospects for further development of the situation. Conclusions. The attitude of young people to the beginning and course of events related to their education has been revealed and determined. Young people support the actions of the authorities regarding the beginning and progress of the operation, and also have fairly positive forecasts regarding the outcome and completion of the operation for Russia. 

student youth, foreign policy, foreign policy course, special military operation, national interests, Russia 

Dubina A.Sh., Vlazneva S.A. The attitude to a special military operation: by the materials from a focus group study of young people in Penza region. Izvestiya vysshikh uchebnykh zavedeniy. Povolzhskiy region. Obshchestvennye nauki = University proceedings. Volga region. Social sciences. 2024;(3):16–25. (In Russ.). doi: 10.21685/2072-3016-2024-3-2