Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Russians believe that the actions of Russian authorities against the Greenpeace activists were adequate. According to respondents, any attempts preventing Russia from exploring the Arctic must be suppressed.

MOSCOW, September 3, 2013. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data concerning the following questions: how well Russians are informed about the incident in the Pechora Sea involving the Greenpeace activists; how Russians assess the actions of Russian authorities; whether Russia should suppress any further attempts of foreign ecological organizations impeding Russian exploration of the Arctic region.

Most of Russians (60%) know about the incident involving Greenpeace activists who tried to penetrate the Prirazlomnaya oil platform in the Pechora Sea performing their action against the oil production in the Arctic: 21% are well informed; 39% know about it in general. Those who are most informed are residents of Moscow and St.Petersburg (74%). Thirty-eight percent of respondents have learnt about that from the interviewer.

 Actions of Russia are approved by most of respondents (60%). The higher the level of education of Russians is, the more often they approve of this action (54% of Russians with low level of education; 62% of those with higher level of education).  The share of those who think that the actions of Russia were too tough is 17%; the share of those who call these actions too soft is 8%.

Two-thirds of Russians believe that Russia should suppress any attempts of the foreign environmental organizations preventing Russia from exploring the Arctic region (66%).  They are opposed by 20% of respondents.

The VCIOM opinion polls were conducted on September 28-29, 2013. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 communities in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

The Greenpeace environmental organization has recently performed an action against the oil production in the Arctic region; the activists tried to penetrate the Prirazlomnaya oil platform of Gazprom in the Pechora Sea. Do you personally know/have you heard/ do you hear for the first time about that?

 (closed-ended question, one answer)

 

Total respondents

Moscow and St.Petersburg

Million cities

More than 500 ths

100 - 500 ths

Less than 100 ths

Rural area

I know well about that

21

29

13

18

22

20

21

I heard something about that but not in details

39

45

42

30

38

35

44

I hear for the first time about that

38

26

36

50

38

44

33

Hard to tell

2

1

9

2

2

0

1

The attempt to penetrate the Russian oil platform was stopped by frontier guards: the activists were arrested for the further ascertainment procedures. How would you assess the actions of the Russian authorities?  (closed-ended question, one answer)

 

Total respondents

Elementary, or lower, incomplete secondary education

 

Secondary  (school, technical college)

 

Secondary special (college)

 

Incomplete higher  (not less than 3 years), higher

Actions were too tough

17

16

15

21

15

Actions were adequate

60

54

59

60

62

Actions were too soft

8

11

8

7

8

Hard to tell/refuse to answer

15

18

18

13

15

In your opinion, should Russia suppress attempts of environmental organizations preventing Russia from exploring the Arctic region, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer)

 

Total respondents

Moscow and St.Petersburg

Million cities

More than 500 ths

100 - 500 ths

Less than 100 ths

Rural area

Rather yes

66

61

67

58

64

68

70

Rather not

20

17

21

25

20

22

18

Hard to tell

14

22

11

17

16

10

12

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

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