The number of people with Russian citizenship living in European countries as of January 1, 2023, was by far the highest in Germany. The country's population includes around 260,000 Russian citizens. That was more than double the number of Russian citizens living in Spain. To compare, over 35,400 Russian nationals resided in Czechia.

Over 40 percent of the Russian population did not figure out whether the reunification of Germany brought more advantages or disadvantages to their country as of 2019. Approximately one third of survey respondents were of the opinion that this historical event brought more good than harm to Russia. The majority of residents argued that for Russia, the fall of the Berlin Wall brought more positive than negative consequences.

Over the course of the Second World War, approximately 44.5 percent of the Soviet population and 8.7 of Soviet territory was occupied by the Axis forces at some point. Despite being allied in the war's early stages, with both countries invading Poland in 1939 via the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Germany would launch Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the USSR, in 1941, which would become the largest military invasion in history. Movement of the Eastern Front The surprise invasion began on June 22, and Axis forces caught the Soviets off-guard, quickly pushing their way eastward along a frontline that stretched from the Baltic to Black seas. The length of the front-line allowed Axis forces to execute pincer movements around cities and strongholds, which cut off large numbers of Soviet soldiers from their supply lines, as well as preventing reinforcements; in this process millions of Soviet troops were taken as prisoner. Within three weeks, the Germans had taken much of present-day Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic states, before taking Moldova and Ukraine in September, and pushing into western Russia between September and December. The front lines had reached the outskirts of Moscow by November, before exhaustion and cold weather helped Soviet forces hold the line and stall the German offensive. The Red Army was then able to regroup and turning the Germans' own tactics against them, using two-pronged attacks to encircle large numbers of troops, although harsh weather made this stage of the conflict much slower.

The lines remained fairly static until mid-1942, when the Germans focused their offensive on the south, concentrating on the Caucasian oil fields and the Volga River. By November 1942, Axis forces had pushed into these regions, establishing what would ultimately be the largest amount of occupied Soviet territory during the war. Once again, winter halted the Axis advance, and allowed the Red Army to regroup. Learning from the previous year, the Axis command strengthened their forces near Moscow in anticipation of the Soviet counter-offensive, but were caught off-guard by a second counter-offensive in the south, most famously at Stalingrad. The Battle of Stalingrad would come to epitomize the extreme loss, destruction, and brutality of war on the eastern front, with conflict continuing in the city months after the rest of the Axis forces had been pushed west. As 1943 progressed, the Red Army gained momentum by targeting inferiorly-trained and equipped non-German regiments. The spring then became something of a balancing act for the Axis powers, as the Soviets consistently attacked weak points, and German regiments were transferred to reinforce these areas. In the summer of 1943, the front line was static once more, however the momentum was with the Soviets, who were able to capitalize on victories such as Kursk and gradually force the Axis powers back. By 1944, the Red Army had re-captured much of Ukraine, and had re-taken the south by the summer. When the Western Allies arrived in France in June, the Soviets were already pushing through Ukraine and Belarus, towards Berlin. In August 1944, the last Axis forces were pushed out of Soviet territory, and Soviet forces continued their push towards the German capital, which fell in May 1945. Soviet death toll In addition to the near-five million Soviet troops who died during Operation Barbarossa, millions of civilians died through starvation, areal bombardment, forced labor, and systematic murder campaigns. Due to the nature and severity of Soviet losses, total figures are difficult to estimate; totals of 15-20 million civilians and 7-9 million military deaths are most common. Further estimates suggest that the disruption to fertility, in addition to the high death toll, meant that the USSR's population in 1946 was 40 million lower than it would have been had there been no war.

Over 1.2 million refugees from Ukraine due to the Russian invasion fled to Germany as of April 2025. Furthermore, the second-highest number was recorded in Poland. In total, around 5.1 million Ukrainian refugees were registered across Europe and 5.6 million worldwide as of May 2025. Most of them fled the country by crossing the border with Poland. Ukrainian refugees in Germany The first increases in the number of Ukrainian refugees in Germany were registered in March and April 2022. The figure exceeded one million refugees in September of that year. Germany had the highest monthly financial allowance for Ukrainians who fled the war compared to other European countries as of June 2022. Temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in the EU European Union (EU) members implemented the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), which guaranteed access to accommodation, welfare, and healthcare to refugees from Ukraine. People fleeing the war had a right to a residence permit in the EU, enter the labor market, and enroll children in educational institutions. The protection is granted until March 4, 2026, but it can be extended in the future depending on the situation in the country.

On behalf of the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government, the opinion research institute forsa has regularly conducted representative population surveys on the topic of Germany and the Ukraine War from calendar week 13/2022. The individual question areas were adapted according on the survey period. During the survey period from 26.09.2022 to 28.09.2022, the German-speaking resident population aged 14 and over was surveyed in telephone interviews (CATI). The respondents were selected by multi-stage random sample. Germany should continue to maintain the adopted economic sanctions against Russia vs. end; level of concern about possible impact of war in Ukraine on Germany; specific concerns about possible impact of war in Ukraine on Germany (open question); level of concern about the following related to war in Ukraine: Germany being dragged into a war with Russia, Germany taking on more than it can afford by taking in refugees from Ukraine, everything becoming more expensive, use of nuclear weapons, threats to basic food supplies in Germany, threats to energy supplies in Germany, personal financial situation worsening, financial difficulties due to additional payments for electricity and energy costs; likelihood of the aforementioned things occurring; satisfaction with regard to how the German government is dealing with the effects of the war in Ukraine on Germany; assessment of the potential for conflict in Germany between different social groups (rich and poor, young and old, East Germans and West Germans, left-wing and right-wing political forces, foreigners and Germans, Ukrainian refugees and Germans, people of Russian origin and people of non-Russian origin in Germany); extent of the restrictions in personal everyday life caused by the current price increases; the relief measures adopted by the federal government so far are sufficient vs. further relief is necessary; noticeable relief for own household through the relief measures adopted by the federal government so far. Demography: sex; age (grouped); employment; education; net household income (grouped); party preference in the next general election; voting behaviour in the last general election. Additionally coded were: region; federal state; weight. Im Auftrag des Presse- und Informationsamts der Bundesregierung hat das Meinungsforschungsinstitut forsa ab Kalenderwoche 13/2022 regelmäßig repräsentative Bevölkerungsbefragungen zum Thema Deutschland und der Ukraine-Krieg durchgeführt. Die einzelnen Fragegebiete wurden je nach Befragungszeitraum angepasst. Im Erhebungszeitraum 26.09.2022 bis 28.09.2022 wurde die deutschsprachige Wohnbevölkerung ab 14 Jahren in telefonischen Interviews (CATI) befragt. Die Auswahl der Befragten erfolgte durch eine mehrstufige Zufallsstichprobe. Deutschland sollte die beschlossenen wirtschaftlichen Sanktionen gegen Russland weiterhin aufrechterhalten vs. beenden; Ausmaß der Sorgen über mögliche Auswirkungen des Krieges in der Ukraine auf Deutschland; konkrete Sorgen über mögliche Auswirkungen des Krieges in der Ukraine auf Deutschland (offene Frage); Ausmaß der Sorgen über folgendes im Zusammenhang mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine: Deutschland wird in einen Krieg mit Russland hineingezogen, Deutschland übernimmt sich mit der Aufnahme von Flüchtlingen aus der Ukraine, alles wird teurer, Einsatz von Atomwaffen, Gefährdung der Grundversorgung mit Lebensmitteln in Deutschland, Gefährdung der Energieversorgung in Deutschland, persönliche finanzielle Situation verschlechtert sich, finanzielle Schwierigkeiten durch Nachzahlungen für Strom- und Energiekosten; Wahrscheinlichkeit des Eintretens der zuvor genannten Dinge; Zufriedenheit im Hinblick auf den Umgang der Bundesregierung mit den Auswirkungen des Ukraine-Krieges auf Deutschland; Einschätzung des Konfliktpotentials in Deutschland zwischen verschiedenen gesellschaftlichen Gruppen (Arm und Reich, Jungen und Alten, Ostdeutschen und Westdeutschen, linken und rechten politischen Kräften, Ausländern und Deutschen, ukrainischen Flüchtlingen und Deutschen, russischstämmigen und nicht-russischstämmigen Menschen in Deutschland); Ausmaß der Einschränkungen im persönlichen Alltag durch die aktuellen Preissteigerungen; die bisher von der Bundesregierung beschlossene Entlastungsmaßnahmen sind ausreichend vs. es sind weitere Entlastungen notwendig; spürbare Entlastung des eigenen Haushalts durch die bisher von der Bundesregierung beschlossenen Entlastungsmaßnahmen. Demographie: Geschlecht; Alter (gruppiert); Erwerbstätigkeit; Schulabschluss; Haushaltsnettoeinkommen (gruppiert); Parteipräferenz bei der nächsten Bundestagswahl; Wahlverhalten bei der letzten Bundestagswahl. Zusätzlich verkodet wurde: Region; Bundesland; Gewicht.

On behalf of the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government, the opinion research institute forsa has regularly conducted representative population surveys on the topic of Germany and the Ukraine War from calendar week 13/2022. The individual question areas were adapted according on the survey period. During the survey period from 07.11.2022 to 09.11.2022, the German-speaking resident population aged 14 and over was surveyed in telephone interviews (CATI). The respondents were selected by multi-stage random sample.
Greatest responsibility for the conflict between Ukraine and Russia (Russia, Ukraine, USA, NATO); Germany should continue to maintain the adopted economic sanctions against Russia vs. end; extent of concern about possible impact of war in Ukraine on Germany; specific concern about possible impact of war in Ukraine on Germany (open question); extent of concern about following related to war in Ukraine: Germany being drawn into a war with Russia, Germany taking on too much by taking in refugees from Ukraine, everything becoming more expensive, use of nuclear weapons, threat to basic food supply in Germany, threat to energy supply in Germany, personal financial situation worsening, financial difficulties due to additional payments for electricity and energy costs; satisfaction with regard to how the German government is dealing with the effects of the war in Ukraine on Germany; assessment of the potential for conflict in Germany between different social groups (rich and poor, young and old, East Germans and West Germans, left-wing and right-wing political forces, foreigners and Germans, Ukrainian refugees and Germans, people of Russian and non-Russian origin in Germany); extent of restrictions in personal everyday life due to current price increases; relief measures adopted by the federal government so far are sufficient vs. further relief is necessary; level of awareness of relief received personally or of relief for the household; noticeable relief for one´s own household through the relief measures adopted by the federal government so far; expected future relief for one´s own household through the relief measures adopted by the federal government so far.

Demography: sex; age (grouped); employment; education; household size; net household income (grouped); party preference in the next general election; voting behaviour in the last general election.

Additionally coded were: region; federal state; weight.

German-speaking resident population aged 14 and over

In 2024, Russia had the largest population among European countries at ***** million people. The next largest countries in terms of their population size were Turkey at **** million, Germany at **** million, the United Kingdom at **** million, and France at **** million. Europe is also home to some of the world’s smallest countries, such as the microstates of Liechtenstein and San Marino, with populations of ****** and ****** respectively. Europe’s largest economies Germany was Europe’s largest economy in 2023, with a Gross Domestic Product of around *** trillion Euros, while the UK and France are the second and third largest economies, at *** trillion and *** trillion euros respectively. Prior to the mid-2000s, Europe’s fourth-largest economy, Italy, had an economy that was of a similar sized to France and the UK, before diverging growth patterns saw the UK and France become far larger economies than Italy. Moscow and Istanbul the megacities of Europe Two cities on the eastern borders of Europe were Europe’s largest in 2023. The Turkish city of Istanbul, with a population of 15.8 million, and the Russian capital, Moscow, with a population of 12.7 million. Istanbul is arguably the world’s most famous transcontinental city with territory in both Europe and Asia and has been an important center for commerce and culture for over 2,000 years. Paris was the third largest European city with a population of ** million, with London being the fourth largest at *** million.

Data and model files for the 2023 EGMP offtake assessment for Finland and NW Russia / Sweden, Denmark and Germany population of Taiga Bean Goose (former Central MU).

https://gitlab.com/aewa-egmp/taiga-bean-goose/harvest-assessment-2023

Explore the dataset on midyear population statistics for 2015, including data on non-infectious diseases, infectious diseases, accidents, malnutrition, congenital diseases, and more. Gain insights on population health trends globally.

Non-infectious, Midyear population, Annual, Infectious disease, Accident/Trauma, Malnutrition, Congenital disease, Other (including ageing), Disease, Health, Population

China, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, United States Follow data.kapsarc.org for timely data to advance energy economics research.

IntroductionThe Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting consequences are in the center of political discussions, media, and likely individual thinking of the population in Germany. Yet, the impact of this prolonged exposure on mental health is not known hitherto.MethodsUsing the population based cohort study DigiHero from three federal states (Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, and Bavaria), we assessed anxiety levels (GAD-7), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), and distress (modified PDI) in the first weeks of war and 6 months later.ResultsOf those 19,432, who responded in the first weeks of war, 13,934 (71.1%) responded also 6 months later. While anxiety and emotional distress decreased during the 6 months, their average scores were still elevated, and a substantial fraction of respondents displayed clinically relevant sequelae. Persons from low-income households were especially affected, specifically by fears related to the personal financial situation. Those who reacted with a particularly strong fear in the beginning of war were more likely to have persistent clinically relevant symptoms of depression and anxiety also 6 months later.DiscussionThe Russian invasion of Ukraine is accompanied by continuing impairment of mental health in the German population. Fears surrounding the personal financial situation are a strong determinant.

On behalf of the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government, the opinion research institute forsa has regularly conducted representative population surveys on the topic of Germany and the Ukraine War from calendar week 13/2022. The individual question areas were adapted according on the survey period. During the survey period from 28.03.2022 to 30.03.2022, the German-speaking resident population aged 14 and over was surveyed in telephone interviews (CATI). The respondents were selected by multi-stage random sample. Frequency of thoughts about the war in Ukraine; worries about the war in Ukraine; concrete worries in connection with the war in Ukraine (open question); extent of worries about the following in connection with the war in Ukraine: Germany is being dragged into a war with Russia, Germany is taking on too much by taking in refugees from Ukraine, everything is becoming more expensive, use of nuclear weapons, endangering basic supplies in Germany, e.g. with electricity or food; personal dealings with the war in Ukraine (I follow the events in Ukraine several times a day on the news, I try to distract myself from the events of the war in everyday life, I often talk to other people about the war in Ukraine, I show others how I think about the war, for example by taking part in demonstrations or posting on social media, I donate to people in Ukraine or help refugees, I make concrete preparations for a possible disaster in Germany, none of these); precautions taken for a possible disaster in Germany (iodine tablets bought/ taken, drinks stockpiled, food stockpiled, informed about bunkers/shelters, emergency kit packed, informed about possibilities for emigration/escape, precautions taken for independent electricity/gas supply, other); informedness about events in Ukraine; credibility of information about the war in Ukraine from the following information sources: Videos from social networks of what is happening on the ground, news on public television, information from the federal government; sufficient amount of information from the federal government vs. would like more information on the following topics: which sanctions the federal government is imposing against Russia, how the federal government is supporting Ukraine, how the federal government is managing the refugee situation in Germany, how the federal government is ensuring that electricity and food supplies are guaranteed in Germany, how the federal government has prepared for possible disaster situations such as war, how to behave even in the event of a disaster. Demography: sex; age (grouped); employment; education; net household income (grouped); party preference in the next general election; voting behaviour in the last general election. Additionally coded were: region; federal state; weight. Im Auftrag des Presse- und Informationsamts der Bundesregierung hat das Meinungsforschungsinstitut forsa ab Kalenderwoche 13/2022 regelmäßig repräsentative Bevölkerungsbefragungen zum Thema Deutschland und der Ukraine-Krieg durchgeführt. Die einzelnen Fragegebiete wurden je nach Befragungszeitraum angepasst. Im Erhebungszeitraum 28.03.2022 bis 30.03.2022 wurde die deutschsprachige Wohnbevölkerung ab 14 Jahren in telefonischen Interviews (CATI) befragt. Die Auswahl der Befragten erfolgte durch eine mehrstufige Zufallsstichprobe. Häufigkeit von Gedanken über den Krieg in der Ukraine; Sorgen wegen des Krieges in der Ukraine; konkrete Sorgen im Zusammenhang mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine (offene Frage); Ausmaß der Sorgen über folgendes im Zusammenhang mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine: Deutschland wird in einen Krieg mit Russland hineingezogen, Deutschland übernimmt sich mit der Aufnahme von Flüchtlingen aus der Ukraine, alles wird teurer, Einsatz von Atomwaffen, Gefährdung der Grundversorgung in Deutschland, z.B. mit Strom oder Lebensmitteln; persönlicher Umgang mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine (Ich verfolge die Ereignisse in der Ukraine mehrmals täglich in den Nachrichten, Ich versuche, mich im Alltag von den Ereignissen des Krieges abzulenken, Ich spreche häufig mit anderen Menschen über den Krieg in der Ukraine, Ich zeige anderen, wie ich über den Krieg denke, zum Beispiel durch Teilnahme an Demonstrationen oder Beiträge in sozialen Medien, Ich spende für Menschen in der Ukraine oder helfe Geflüchteten, Ich bereite mich konkret auf einen möglichen Katastrophenfall in Deutschland vor, keine davon); getroffene Vorkehrungen für einen möglichen Katastrophenfall in Deutschland (Jodtabletten gekauft/ eingenommen, Getränkevorrat angelegt, Nahrungsmittelvorrat angelegt, über Bunker/ Schutzeinrichtungen informiert, Notfallkoffer gepackt, über Möglichkeiten zur Auswanderung/ Flucht informiert, Vorkehrungen für unabhängige Strom- bzw. Gasversorgung getroffen, sonstiges); Informiertheit über die Ereignisse in der Ukraine; Glaubwürdigkeit der Informationen zum Krieg in der Ukraine von folgenden Informationsquellen: Videos aus sozialen Netzwerken vom Geschehen vor Ort, Nachrichten im öffentlich-rechtlichen Fernsehen, Informationen der Bundesregierung; ausreichend viele Informationen der Bundesregierung vs. wünsche mehr Informationen zu folgenden Themen: welche Sanktionen die Bundesregierung gegen Russland verhängt, wie die Bundesregierung die Ukraine unterstützt, wie die Bundesregierung die Flüchtlingssituation in Deutschland bewältigt, wie die Bundesregierung sicherstellt, dass die Versorgung mit Strom und Lebensmitteln in Deutschland gewährleistet ist, wie sich die Bundesregierung auf mögliche Katastrophenfälle wie z.B. Krieg vorbereitet hat, wie man sich selbst in Katastrophenfällen verhalten soll. Demographie: Geschlecht; Alter (gruppiert); Erwerbstätigkeit; Schulabschluss; Haushaltsnettoeinkommen (gruppiert); Parteipräferenz bei der nächsten Bundestagswahl; Wahlverhalten bei der letzten Bundestagswahl. Zusätzlich verkodet wurde: Region; Bundesland; Gewicht.

On behalf of the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government, the opinion research institute forsa has regularly conducted representative population surveys on the topic of Germany and the Ukraine War from calendar week 13/2022. The individual question areas were adapted according on the survey period. In the survey period from 04.07.2022 to 07.07.2022, the German-speaking resident population aged 14 and over was surveyed in telephone interviews (CATI). The respondents were selected by multi-stage random sample. Extent of concern about possible effects of the war in Ukraine on Germany; concrete concerns about possible effects of the war in Ukraine on Germany (open question); extent of concern about the following in connection with the war in Ukraine: Germany is being drawn into a war with Russia, Germany is taking on too much by taking in refugees from Ukraine, everything is becoming more expensive, use of nuclear weapons, basic supplies in Germany, e.g., with electricity or food, personal financial situation worsens, financial difficulties due to additional payments for electricity and energy costs; satisfaction with regard to the German government´s handling of the effects of the Ukraine war on Germany; sufficient information from the German government on various topics (sanctions by the German government against Russia, support of Ukraine by the German government, handling of the refugee situation in Germany by the German government, ensuring the supply of electricity and food in Germany, preparation of the German government for possible catastrophic events such as e.g., war, personal behavior in disaster situations, how the federal government deals with misinformation about the war in Ukraine); personal interaction with the war in Ukraine (I follow the events in Ukraine several times a day on the news, I try to distract myself from the events of the war in everyday life, I often talk to other people about the war in Ukraine, I show others how I feel about the war, e.g. by participating in demonstrations or posting on social media, I donate to people in Ukraine or help refugees, I make concrete preparations for a possible disaster in Germany, none of the above); concrete preparations for a possible disaster in Germany (iodine tablets bought/taken, drinks stockpiled, food stockpiled, informed about bunkers/shelters, emergency kit packed, informed about possibilities for emigration/escape, made arrangements for independent electricity or gas supply, provided with cash, stockpiled medicine and hygiene supplies). Demography: sex; age (grouped); employment; education; net household income (grouped); party preference in the next general election; voting behaviour in the last general election. Additionally coded were: region; federal state; weight. Im Auftrag des Presse- und Informationsamts der Bundesregierung hat das Meinungsforschungsinstitut forsa ab Kalenderwoche 13/2022 regelmäßig repräsentative Bevölkerungsbefragungen zum Thema Deutschland und der Ukraine-Krieg durchgeführt. Die einzelnen Fragegebiete wurden je nach Befragungszeitraum angepasst. Im Erhebungszeitraum 04.07.2022 bis 07.07.2022 wurde die deutschsprachige Wohnbevölkerung ab 14 Jahren in telefonischen Interviews (CATI) befragt. Die Auswahl der Befragten erfolgte durch eine mehrstufige Zufallsstichprobe. Ausmaß der Sorgen über mögliche Auswirkungen des Krieges in der Ukraine auf Deutschland; konkrete Sorgen über mögliche Auswirkungen des Krieges in der Ukraine auf Deutschland (offene Frage); Ausmaß der Sorgen über folgendes im Zusammenhang mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine: Deutschland wird in einen Krieg mit Russland hineingezogen, Deutschland übernimmt sich mit der Aufnahme von Flüchtlingen aus der Ukraine, alles wird teurer, Einsatz von Atomwaffen, Gefährdung der Grundversorgung in Deutschland, z.B. mit Strom oder Lebensmitteln, persönliche finanzielle Situation verschlechtert sich, finanzielle Schwierigkeiten durch Nachzahlungen für Strom- und Energiekosten; Zufriedenheit im Hinblick auf den Umgang der Bundesregierung mit den Auswirkungen des Ukraine-Krieges auf Deutschland; ausreichende Informationen der Bundesregierung zu verschiedenen Themen (Sanktionen der Bundesregierung gegen Russland, Unterstützung der Ukraine durch die Bundesregierung, Bewältigung der Flüchtlingssituation in Deutschland durch die Bundesregierung, Sicherstellung der Versorgung mit Strom und Lebensmitteln in Deutschland, Vorbereitung der Bundesregierung auf mögliche Katastrophenfälle wie z.B. Krieg, persönliches Verhalten in Katastrophenfällen, Umgang der Bundesregierung mit Falschinformationen zum Krieg in der Ukraine); persönlicher Umgang mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine (Ich verfolge die Ereignisse in der Ukraine mehrmals täglich in den Nachrichten, ich versuche, mich im Alltag von den Ereignissen des Krieges abzulenken, ich spreche häufig mit anderen Menschen über den Krieg in der Ukraine, ich zeige anderen, wie ich über den Krieg denke, z.B. durch Teilnahme an Demonstrationen oder Beiträge in sozialen Medien, ich spende für Menschen in der Ukraine oder helfe Geflüchteten, ich bereite mich konkret auf einen möglichen Katastrophenfall in Deutschland vor, nichts davon); konkrete Vorbereitungen für einen möglichen Katastrophenfall in Deutschland (Jodtabletten gekauft/eingenommen, Getränkevorrat angelegt, Nahrungsmittelvorrat angelegt, über Bunker/Schutzeinrichtungen informiert, Notfallkoffer gepackt, über Möglichkeiten für Auswanderung/Flucht informiert, Vorkehrungen für unabhängige Strom- bzw. Gasversorgung getroffen, mit Bargeld versorgt, Medikamentenvorrat und Hygieneartikelvorrat angelegt). Demographie: Geschlecht; Alter (gruppiert); Erwerbstätigkeit; Schulabschluss; Haushaltsnettoeinkommen (gruppiert); Parteipräferenz bei der nächsten Bundestagswahl; Wahlverhalten bei der letzten Bundestagswahl. Zusätzlich verkodet wurde: Region; Bundesland; Gewicht.

1941 marked an escalation of the Second World War in Europe. By the middle of the year, Germany and its European allies had already consolidated power across most of the continent, with only the United Kingdom and Soviet Union not under Axis control or on neutral terms with Germany. As population sizes were fundamental to the war effort, both in terms of military manpower and the workforce of the home front, the annexation of other countries proved vital in supplying new volunteers, conscripts, and forced laborers for the Axis war effort. Together, Germany and Austria had a similar population to the rest of Europe's Axis powers combined, with all giving a total population of 154 million. However, the total population of the Axis-occupied territories in Europe was comparable to the Axis home fronts themselves, at almost 130 million people

Germans in the East Eastern Europe had a sizeable population of ethnic Germans who often worked with the Axis powers, and the German Army recruited upwards of a million volunteers from occupied countries. The Soviet Union in particular had a number of Russia German enclaves across the region, that reached as far as the Volga river and Kazakhstan and numbered at several million people. In Russia, these communities had existed for centuries, but they were ostracized or mistrusted by Soviet leadership and the deaths of these communities under Stalin's regime is often considered genocide. In addition to ethnic Germans, collaborators also included large numbers of Eastern Europeans who sympathized with Nazi ideology, or were hostile to Soviet or communist expansion; this also included ethnic minorities, such as Muslims from the Balkans or USSR.

Collaborators in the West The perceived threat of communism in the west saw men volunteer from countries such as France, the Netherlands, or Norway, to fight in the Axis armies. The fluctuating borders of the interwar period also meant that there were many German communities across the borders of neighboring countries, whose men also enlisted in the Wehrmacht. Within these occupied countries, conspirators with local knowledge were used to track down Jews and political adversaries, and many collaborated in order to elevate their positions in the government or enterprises. Apart from Austria, however, the majority of the public in annexed territories were unsupportive or hostile to their occupiers, and after the war, many of the surviving collaborators were tried (and often executed) for their actions.

As of 2019, nearly one half of respondents in Russia were well aware about the Berlin Wall. The second largest group, represented by 44 percent of survey participants, admitted they heard something about it, but did not know its history in details. Only 15 percent of the Russian population between 18 and 24 years old knew well about the wall separating West Berlin from East Germany, or the German Democratic Republic (GDR).

Over ** percent of residents of Russia used the internet in 2023. Hence, the internet penetration rate marked an increase by approximately *** percentage points compared to the previous year. The share of Russians using the internet increased continuously in recent years.   Internet usage in Russia Russians spent more than eight hours surfing the internet on a daily basis in 2023, ** minutes up from the previous year. Desktop computers were the most employed gadgets for going online, followed by mobile devices. The most active internet users on smartphones in Russia were aged between 25 and 34 years. Global overview Around *** billion people were estimated to use the internet worldwide in 2023. Over the past two decades, the global online population has been increasing steadily. Germany had the most internet users in the European Union (EU), at over ** million, followed by France and Italy. Among Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that were part of the EU, Poland and Romania recorded the largest number of people using the internet.

Russia is the largest country in Europe, and also the largest in the world, its total size amounting to 17 million square kilometers (km2). It should be noted, however, that over three quarters of Russia is located in Asia, and the Ural mountains are often viewed as the meeting point of the two continents in Russia; nonetheless, European Russia is still significantly larger than any other European country. Ukraine, the second largest country on the continent, is only 603,000 km2, making it about 28 times smaller than its eastern neighbor, or seven times smaller than the European part of Russia. France is the third largest country in Europe, but the largest in the European Union. The Vatican City, often referred to as the Holy Sea, is both the smallest country in Europe and in the world, at just one km2. Population Russia is also the most populous country in Europe. It has around 144 million inhabitants across the country; in this case, around three quarters of the population live in the European part, which still gives it the largest population in Europe. Despite having the largest population, Russia is a very sparsely populated country due to its size and the harsh winters. Germany is the second most populous country in Europe, with 83 million inhabitants, while the Vatican has the smallest population. Worldwide, India and China are the most populous countries, with approximately 1.4 billion inhabitants each. Cities Moscow in Russia is ranked as the most populous city in Europe with around 13 million inhabitants, although figures vary, due to differences in the methodologies used by countries and sources. Some statistics include Istanbul in Turkey* as the largest city in Europe with its 15 million inhabitants, bit it has been excluded here as most of the country and parts of the city is located in Asia. Worldwide, Tokyo is the most populous city, with Jakarta the second largest and Delhi the third.

On behalf of the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government, the opinion research institute forsa has regularly conducted representative population surveys on the topic of Germany and the Ukraine War from calendar week 13/2022. The individual question areas were adapted according on the survey period. During the survey period from 28.11.2022 to 30.11.2022, the German-speaking resident population aged 14 and over was surveyed in telephone interviews (CATI). The respondents were selected by multi-stage random sample. Germany should continue to maintain the adopted economic sanctions against Russia vs. end; level of concern about possible impact of war in Ukraine on Germany; specific concerns about possible impact of war in Ukraine on Germany (open question); level of concern about the following related to war in Ukraine: Germany being dragged into a war with Russia, Germany taking on more than it can handle by taking in refugees from Ukraine, everything becoming more expensive, use of nuclear weapons, basic food supply in Germany being threatened, energy supply in Germany being threatened, personal financial situation worsening, financial difficulties due to additional payments for electricity and energy costs; satisfaction with regard to how the German government is dealing with the effects of the war in Ukraine on Germany; relief measures adopted by the German government so far are sufficient vs. further relief is necessary; level of awareness of relief received personally or of relief for the household; noticeable relief for one´s own household through the relief measures adopted by the federal government so far; expected future relief for one´s own household through the relief measures adopted by the federal government so far. Demography: sex; age (grouped); employment; education; household size; net household income (grouped); party preference in the next general election; voting behaviour in the last general election. Additionally coded were: region; federal state; weight. Im Auftrag des Presse- und Informationsamts der Bundesregierung hat das Meinungsforschungsinstitut forsa ab Kalenderwoche 13/2022 regelmäßig repräsentative Bevölkerungsbefragungen zum Thema Deutschland und der Ukraine-Krieg durchgeführt. Die einzelnen Fragegebiete wurden je nach Befragungszeitraum angepasst. Im Erhebungszeitraum 28.11.2022 bis 30.11.2022 wurde die deutschsprachige Wohnbevölkerung ab 14 Jahren in telefonischen Interviews (CATI) befragt. Die Auswahl der Befragten erfolgte durch eine mehrstufige Zufallsstichprobe. Deutschland sollte die beschlossenen wirtschaftlichen Sanktionen gegen Russland weiterhin aufrechterhalten vs. beenden; Ausmaß der Sorgen über mögliche Auswirkungen des Krieges in der Ukraine auf Deutschland; konkrete Sorgen über mögliche Auswirkungen des Krieges in der Ukraine auf Deutschland (offene Frage); Ausmaß der Sorgen über folgendes im Zusammenhang mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine: Deutschland wird in einen Krieg mit Russland hineingezogen, Deutschland übernimmt sich mit der Aufnahme von Flüchtlingen aus der Ukraine, alles wird teurer, Einsatz von Atomwaffen, Gefährdung der Grundversorgung mit Lebensmitteln in Deutschland, Gefährdung der Energieversorgung in Deutschland, persönliche finanzielle Situation verschlechtert sich, finanzielle Schwierigkeiten durch Nachzahlungen für Strom- und Energiekosten; Zufriedenheit im Hinblick auf den Umgang der Bundesregierung mit den Auswirkungen des Ukraine-Krieges auf Deutschland; bisher von der Bundesregierung beschlossene Entlastungsmaßnahmen sind ausreichend vs. es sind weitere Entlastungen notwendig; Informiertheit über persönlich erhaltene Entlastungen bzw. Entlastungen des Haushalts; spürbare Entlastung des eigenen Haushalts durch die bisher beschlossenen Entlastungsmaßnahmen der Bundesregierung; erwartete zukünftige Entlastung des eigenen Haushalts durch die bisher beschlossenen Entlastungsmaßnahmen der Bundesregierung. Demographie: Geschlecht; Alter (gruppiert); Erwerbstätigkeit; Schulabschluss; Haushaltsgröße; Haushaltsnettoeinkommen (gruppiert); Parteipräferenz bei der nächsten Bundestagswahl; Wahlverhalten bei der letzten Bundestagswahl. Zusätzlich verkodet wurde: Region; Bundesland; Gewicht.

On behalf of the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government, the opinion research institute forsa has regularly conducted representative population surveys on the topic of Germany and the Ukraine War from calendar week 13/2022. The individual question areas were adapted according on the survey period. During the survey period from 12.12.2022 to 14.12.2022, the German-speaking resident population aged 14 and over was surveyed in telephone interviews (CATI). The respondents were selected by multi-stage random sample. Germany should continue to maintain the adopted economic sanctions against Russia vs. end; level of concern about possible impact of war in Ukraine on Germany; specific concerns about possible impact of war in Ukraine on Germany (open question); level of concern about the following related to war in Ukraine: Germany being dragged into a war with Russia, Germany taking on more than it can handle by taking in refugees from Ukraine, everything becoming more expensive, use of nuclear weapons, basic food supply in Germany being threatened, energy supply in Germany being threatened, personal financial situation worsening, financial difficulties due to additional payments for electricity and energy costs; satisfaction with regard to how the German government is dealing with the effects of the war in Ukraine on Germany; relief measures adopted by the German government so far are sufficient vs. further relief is needed; informedness about personally received relief or relief of the budget; noticeable relief of the own budget by the relief measures adopted by the federal government so far; expected future relief of the own budget by the relief measures adopted by the federal government so far; type of rehearsal warnings received at the nationwide warning day on December 8 (warning message on cell phone, siren heard, on another way, none of the above); sufficient commitment of the federal government with regard to the following challenges: Protection of important supply systems such as energy, drinking water or transport from sabotage, preparation for disaster situations, warning citizens in the event of a disaster; precautions taken to prepare for a possible disaster situation in Germany; type of precautions taken for a possible disaster situation (e.g., drinks stockpiled or food stockpiled, emergency suitcases packed, etc.). Demography: sex; age (grouped); employment; education; household size; net household income (grouped); party preference in the next general election; voting behaviour in the last general election. Additionally coded were: region; federal state; weight. Im Auftrag des Presse- und Informationsamts der Bundesregierung hat das Meinungsforschungsinstitut forsa ab Kalenderwoche 13/2022 regelmäßig repräsentative Bevölkerungsbefragungen zum Thema Deutschland und der Ukraine-Krieg durchgeführt. Die einzelnen Fragegebiete wurden je nach Befragungszeitraum angepasst. Im Erhebungszeitraum 12.12.2022 bis 14.12.2022 wurde die deutschsprachige Wohnbevölkerung ab 14 Jahren in telefonischen Interviews (CATI) befragt. Die Auswahl der Befragten erfolgte durch eine mehrstufige Zufallsstichprobe. Deutschland sollte die beschlossenen wirtschaftlichen Sanktionen gegen Russland weiterhin aufrechterhalten vs. beenden; Ausmaß der Sorgen über mögliche Auswirkungen des Krieges in der Ukraine auf Deutschland; konkrete Sorgen über mögliche Auswirkungen des Krieges in der Ukraine auf Deutschland (offene Frage); Ausmaß der Sorgen über folgendes im Zusammenhang mit dem Krieg in der Ukraine: Deutschland wird in einen Krieg mit Russland hineingezogen, Deutschland übernimmt sich mit der Aufnahme von Flüchtlingen aus der Ukraine, alles wird teurer, Einsatz von Atomwaffen, Gefährdung der Grundversorgung mit Lebensmitteln in Deutschland, Gefährdung der Energieversorgung in Deutschland, persönliche finanzielle Situation verschlechtert sich, finanzielle Schwierigkeiten durch Nachzahlungen für Strom- und Energiekosten; Zufriedenheit im Hinblick auf den Umgang der Bundesregierung mit den Auswirkungen des Ukraine-Krieges auf Deutschland; bisher von der Bundesregierung beschlossene Entlastungsmaßnahmen sind ausreichend vs. es sind weitere Entlastungen notwendig; Informiertheit über persönlich erhaltene Entlastungen bzw. Entlastungen des Haushalts; spürbare Entlastung des eigenen Haushalts durch die bisher beschlossenen Entlastungsmaßnahmen der Bundesregierung; erwartete zukünftige Entlastung des eigenen Haushalts durch die bisher beschlossenen Entlastungsmaßnahmen der Bundesregierung; Art der erhaltenen Probewarnungen beim bundesweiten Warntag am 8. Dezember (Warnmeldung auf dem Handy, Sirene gehört, auf einem anderen Weg, nichts davon); ausreichendes Engagement der Bundesregierung im Hinblick auf folgende Herausforderungen: Schutz wichtiger Versorgungssysteme wie Energie, Trinkwasser oder Verkehr vor Sabotage, Vorbereitung auf Katastrophenfälle, Warnung der Bürgerinnen und Bürger im Katastrophenfall; Vorkehrungen getroffen für einen möglichen Katastrophenfall in Deutschland; Art der getroffenen Vorkehrungen für einen möglichen Katastrophenfall (z.B. Getränkevorrat bzw. Nahrungsmittelvorrat angelegt, Notfallkoffer gepackt, etc.). Demographie: Geschlecht; Alter (gruppiert); Erwerbstätigkeit; Schulabschluss; Haushaltsgröße; Haushaltsnettoeinkommen (gruppiert); Parteipräferenz bei der nächsten Bundestagswahl; Wahlverhalten bei der letzten Bundestagswahl. Zusätzlich verkodet wurde: Region; Bundesland; Gewicht.