The number of those who would like their relatives to serve in the army reached record high.

MOSCOW, February 21, 2018. In anticipation of Defender of the Fatherland Day the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of a study describing Russian perceptions of the army.

In the Russian consciousness the meaning of the February 23 holiday has changed: today most of respondents perceive it as a holiday of the military men (39%) than men in general while in 2005-2006 the holiday was perceived as men’s day (46% and 42%, respectively) rather than the holiday of the military people (32% and 31%). As twelve years ago, almost every fifth Russian recalls the Decree on Formation of the Worker-Peasant Red Army (19%).

Thirty-nine percent of respondents say that apart from its protection function army also influences the development of the economy and society. According to 28%, it plays a major role in the development of all spheres of social life. A quarter of respondents (24%) consider that army is a tool to protect the state against external threats and does not play any substantial role, however for the last three years the share of those who think so has decreased (34% in 2015).

Over thirty years of measurement the confidence in the military capacity of the Russian armed forces has been up: whereas in 1990 the index was -23 p.p., in 2018 it hit an all-time high (73 p.). Today one-third of Russians (31%) consider that the Russian army is the best in the world; 52% say it is one of the best; these shares are 31% and 56%, respectively, among those who served in the army.

For the time being the army is perceived as a social institution which gives opportunities in life (73%). Seventy-seven percent of those who served in the army share this opinion. Six percent report negative impact; 12% say that the army does not play any significant role in people’s lives.

Seventy-one percent of respondents would like their close relative (male) to serve in the army (an all-time high); they are opposed by 21% of Russians.

The VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on February 17-18, 2018. The survey involved 2,000 Russians aged 18 and over, and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.2%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

Military Capacity Index describes how Russians asses the military capacity of the Russian army. The higher the value is, the higher respondents assess the army’s military capacity. The Index is calculated as the difference of positive and negative answers to the question “What statement describing the current military capacity of the Russian army do you most agree with?  The Index is measured in points from -100 to 100.

*In 2005 and 2006 the wording was “Day of the Red Army formation”

*In 1990 the question was about Soviet Army  

** In 1990 the survey involved all-Union urban and rural populations aged 16 and over; the sample size was 1,520 persons.

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