A survey by an independent polling firm suggests that Russians are increasingly pessimistic about the country's future prospects as the conflict in Ukraine drags on.

Russia's Levada-Center conducted face-to-face surveys this month with more than 1,600 citizens aged 18 and older.

Asked about prospects for next year, 70 percent of respondents said it will be "more challenging" for both Russia's politics and economy. About 20 percent said the situation will be calm.

With regard to the year gone by, 76 percent said it had been harder for Russia than 2021, while just 4 percent said it had been easier.

The percentage of those who said "harder" was up 21 points from the figure obtained in a similar survey last year. The number was the second highest recorded this century, following that in 2020, the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.

Fifty-three percent also answered that this year had been more difficult for themselves and their families compared to last year.

In response to a multiple-choice question about the year's major events, 46 percent picked the so-called "special military operation" in Ukraine. This was followed by the mobilization of reserves at 34 percent, and economic sanctions by the US and European nations at 21 percent.

Russia's government has designated the Levada-Center as a "foreign agent," effectively accusing it of spying. But the firm has continued to conduct surveys and release analyses.