Almost 60% of Russians assert tension in North Caucasus – poll

(Interfax – MOSCOW, August 1, 2013) The majority of Russians continue to claim that tensions exist in the North Caucasus but their number is declining, Levada Center sociologists told Interfax.

Nineteen percent of 1,601 respondents polled in 130 towns and cities in 45 regions in July argued that all was quiet in the North Caucasus and two percent even said the situation was good.

Some 58% declared tensions, and 8% maintained the situation was highly charged. The number of such respondents declined from 64% and 11% respectively over the past three years, the sociologists said.

Over a half of the respondents (57%) have been invariably asserting since 2011 that the situation in North Caucasian republics of Russia was unlikely to change in the upcoming year.

Twelve percent of the respondents expressed their hope for the alleviation of regional tensions, which was 4% less than in 2011 (16%). Fifteen percent said the situation might deteriorate further. Their numbers have remained practically unchanged for the past three years: 15% in 2010 and 14% in 2011-2012. Seventeen percent were unable to answer the question.