Poll shows Russians becoming more hostile towards the West

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(Interfax – Moscow, January 13, 2015) Almost half of Russians (47 per cent) believe that Russia’s long-term foreign policy should focus on strengthening relations with China, the Levada [public opinion research] centre has told Interfax.

According to a poll carried out among 1,600 people in 134 population centres of the Russian Federation on 19-22 December, the second place went to the CIS countries (12 per cent), followed by Western Europe (8 per cent), the United States (4 per cent) and Islamic countries (1 per cent).

On this issue, the opinion of Russians has changed markedly of late: One year ago, only 21 per cent of respondents said that the development of relations with Beijing was the top priority, while the countries of the near abroad [CIS] and Europe were chosen by 28 and 20 per cent, respectively. Friendship with the United States was chosen by 9 per cent of Russians, and Islamic countries – by 3 per cent.

The poll has also shown that most Russians (57 per cent, against 50 per cent in 2012) do not consider it necessary to pay attention to the West’s criticism of Russia. Fewer than a third of respondents (27 per cent, against 38 per cent in 2012) disagreed with this, while 16 per cent found it difficult to answer the question.

The respondents who think that Moscow should ignore the West’s criticism explain their opinion by agreeing that “the West is unfriendly towards Russia and its criticism is hostile” (43 per cent), and note that “the West views Russia as a rival, seeking to weaken it” (40 per cent).

The overwhelming majority of Russians (87 per cent) believe that Western countries pursue a hostile policy towards the Russian Federation. Only 8 per cent disagreed with this view, and about the same number of respondents (7 per cent) found it difficult to answer the question.

According to the respondents, the West’s hostility is manifested in the sanctions against the Russian economy and businesses (51 per cent), information war (42 per cent), attempts to take control of the country’s economy and natural resources (40 per cent).

Russians also see the West’s attempts “to oust Russia from the former Soviet Union, establish control over the republics of the former Soviet Union and former socialist countries” and the desire to replace the current political regime in Russia “by another, more convenient regime for them” (31 per cent each).

Forty-six per cent of the respondents believe that, on the whole, the hostility towards Russia is caused by the desire “to get their hands on its natural resources”, while 43 per cent think it is caused by “fear of its military power”.

Another 30 per cent think that “the West and Russia have always been bitter rivals, the differences in religion, customs and culture are too strong”, while 24 per cent believe that Western countries just envy Russia.

 

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