Interfax: Ukrainian situation deteriorating, Russians say in poll

Map of Western CIS/FSU and European Environs

(Interfax – August 26, 2014) Eighty percent of Russians are monitoring the political events evolving in Ukraine; 32 percent of them are doing so on a regular basis and 48 percent learn the news from time to time, the Russian Public Opinion Study Center (VTsIOM) said.

The interest in the Ukrainian events has been high (over 70 percent) since February, the sociologists pointed out.

Seventy-two percent of the respondents polled nationwide on August 9-10 mentioned growing tensions and tangible deterioration in Ukraine (the number stood at 78 percent in June).

Another 23 percent said there had been no change in the Ukrainian situation and only 2 percent believed in pending normalization.

The respondents were asked to describe the events occurring in the neighbor country. Over a half of them (59 percent vs. 50 percent in June) said Ukraine was going through a civil war.

Fifteen percent said there had been terror and genocide of the civilian population.

Less people (16 percent vs. 36 percent in June) said there had been anarchy and lawlessness.

As to the possibility of an armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia, 44 percent said it was highly unlikely and 15 percent described that as absolutely improbable.

Over a quarter of the respondents (28 percent) argued a Russia-Ukraine war could quite possibly start within months and 8 percent insisted that it had already begun, the sociologists said.

 

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