Interfax: Most Russians say tensions remain in North Caucasus – poll

MOSCOW. Dec 4 (Interfax) – Russians think that the North Caucasian situation remains tense and do not expect stabilization of the situation soon, Levada Center told Interfax.

Only 17% of the respondents claim that the North Caucasus is calm and prosperous, and 63% say there are tensions. Ten percent of 1,603 respondents polled in 130 towns and cities in 45 regions in the middle of November called the situation incendiary.

The number of the respondents who take a critical view of the North Caucasian situation has grown 8%, from 65% in November 2011, the sociologists said.

The opinion that the region “is slowly calming down” is voiced by 10% and 25% argue that “tensions are growing.”

For the first time in many years of their survey, Levada Center specialists reported a drop to 47% of the number of citizens who think that the situation in the North Caucasian republics (Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia) will not change in the upcoming year. The indicator used to vary from 55% to 61% in the previous period.

Thirteen percent are still hopeful of the alleviation of regional tensions. Twenty percent say the problem may continue to deteriorate, and their number has been mounting since 14% had the same opinon in 2010-2011.

Twenty-one percent could not give a definite answer, which was 5% more than before (16% two years ago).

An earlier report posted by the Russian Public Opinion Study Center (VTsIOM) said that Russians regarded the main source of a terrorist threat as originating from the Caucasus (20%) and Islamists, Wahhabis and Al Qaeda (16%). The percentage grew 1.5-2 times over the last few months.