Russians and Ukrainians express solidarity assessing the causes and perspectives of the august coup attempt in 1991.

MOSCOW, August 23, 2011. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data concerning how Russians and Ukrainians assess the perspective of development of their life, if the State Emergency Committee won in august 1991, as well as the reasons behind the august coup. The Ukrainian opinion poll was conducted by Research & Branding Group.

Every third Russian and Ukrainian are convinced that the victory of the State Emergency Commettee (GKChP) would not have changed their life (32% and 30% respectively). The share of those who think their life would have been worse makes up 17% among Russians and 18% among Ukrainians. The positive scenario is shared by only 14% of respondents in Russia and 15% of Ukrainians. The number of those who think that their life would have improved if the SEC won is decreasing (from 20% in 2001 to 14% in 2011). This point of view is pessimistically perceived by middle-aged respondents (20%) and United Russia party supporters (21%); those who perceive this idea positively are elderly persons (21%) and CPRF party supporters (30%).

 Year by year it is getting much harder for both Ukrainians and Russians to assess the august coup: the shares of those who were hard to name the reasons behind the failure of the coup in both countries make up one-third of respondents (34 % for each country). Over the recent twenty years this figure in Russia has increased from 7 to 34%.

Asked about the reasons of the failure of the august coup attempt twenty years later, Russians and Ukrainians share a common point of view. Most of them blame the organization and preparation of the coup (25% and 22% respectively). At the same time, Russians point out the active actions of the population and the leadership of the country (52 and 53% respectively). Year after year less Russians mention the important role of the authorities (from 52 to 17% and from 53 to 12%). Over the recent decade respondents do not pay much attention to the split in the Ministry of the Internal Affairs and Committee for State Security (KGB) (from 21 to 12%), as well as the lack of support of the SEC in the regions (from 15 to 7%).

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on August 6-7, 2011. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%. The Ukrainian poll was conducted by Research & Branding Group on August 12 – 22, 2011. 2075 respondents were polled in 24 regions of Ukraine and the AR of Crimea. The margin of error does not exceed 2.2%.

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!