MOSCOW, March 14, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a study describing how Crimean residents perceive the Crimea’s reunification with Russia.
Most of residents of the Crimean peninsula (93%) perceive positively the Crimea’s reunification with Russia.
Three-quarters of respondents (72%) state that the Crimea’s reunification with Russia has had positive impacts on their life and their families. According to Crimean residents, positive impacts include improvements in people’s life and well-being (30%) and maintaining peace in the republic (20%). Every tenth respondent (10%) says their dream to live in Russia has come true. In addition, 75% are satisfied with the current situation in Crimea.
On the contrary, 7% of respondents believe that the reunification has had bad consequences on their life. Negative impacts mainly refer to increased prices (10% of total respondents; all the respondents were asked about positive/negative consequences, even those who predominantly mentioned positive impacts); a further 7% complain about lost connections with relatives; 6% (for each) point to low salaries and bureaucracy. Fifteen percent of the Crimean residents say that the Crimea’s reunification with Russia has had no impact on their life.
If there were another referendum, 89% of respondents would support Crimea’s incorporation into the Russian territory. Only 3% would vote for the Crimea’s autonomy as part of Ukraine. At the same time, 8% were hard to answer the question. Leaving out those who remained undecided, the percentage of those in favor of the Crimea’s incorporation into Russia reaches 96%; the share of those who oppose them is 4%.
VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on March 10, 2019. The survey involved 1,600 residents of the Crimea aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based 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 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
How do you generally view the Crimea’s reunification with the Russian Federation: positively or negatively? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and over | |
Definitely positively | 69 | 52 | 56 | 68 | 73 | 80 |
Rather positively | 24 | 39 | 35 | 24 | 18 | 18 |
Rather negatively | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Definitely negatively | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Don’t know /refusal to answer | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
A referendum on the Crimea’s status was held in March 2014. If another referendum on the same issues that were raised five years ago took place next Sunday, what option would you choose? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and over | |
I would support Crimea’s incorporation into the Russian Federation | 89 | 75 | 86 | 85 | 90 | 95 |
I would support Crimea’s autonomy as part of Ukraine | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
Don’t know | 8 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 4 |
Has the Crimea’s reunification with Russia had any impact on your life/the life of your family? If yes, was the impact positive or negative? (closed-ended question, one answer % of total respondents) | ||||||
Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and over | |
Positive impact | 72 | 62 | 65 | 67 | 72 | 84 |
No impact | 15 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 8 |
Negative impact | 7 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
Don’t know / refusal to answer | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
What positive impacts has the Crimea’s reunification with Russia had on you/your family? (open-ended question, up to 5 answers, % of total respondents; answers of at least 2% of respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
Life got better/ stability/ well-being improved / hope for better future | 30 |
Peace in the republic | 20 |
Dream to live in Russia came true | 10 |
Road repairs | 8 |
Jobs in different fields | 8 |
Development of health care (free, better services, Compulsory Health Insurance) | 8 |
Now we live in a single state together with relatives / free movement across the country | 7 |
Increased pensions/drawing pensions/ stable payments | 6 |
Development of infrastructure/region | 6 |
Generally positive changes | 5 |
Well-functioning police, local government, housing and communal services | 5 |
Better education services (curriculum, free of charge, activities, etc.) | 5 |
Russian language | 4 |
Construction/repairs in kindergartens, schools, health retreats, camps, hospitals | 3 |
Increase in child allowances/maternity capital/ benefits for the disabled, families with many children, etc. | 3 |
Better morally | 2 |
Other | 14 |
Don’t know | 19 |
What negative impacts has the Crimea’s reunification with Russia had on you/your family? (open-ended question, up to 5 answers, % of total respondents; answers of at least 2% of respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
Increase in prices for everything (food, clothes, public utilities, taxes, petrol) | 10 |
Lost connections with relatives | 7 |
Law salaries/ pensions/no benefits | 6 |
Bureaucracy / strict laws/ problems with documents | 6 |
Border crossing/ leaving abroad/ poor relations with Ukraine – difficulties at the border | 5 |
Unemployment | 5 |
Poor healthcare/ increased prices for medicines/no subsidized medicines | 5 |
Sanctions/ non-recognition | 4 |
Local authorities do not perform properly | 3 |
Poor work of public utilities sector | 2 |
Bank system got worse (lost deposits)/ money transfer blocking/ Internet/ websites blocking | 2 |
Corruption | 2 |
Poor roads/ no road construction/ no yard beautification/ parks | 2 |
Security/ migrants/ unrest/ arms | 2 |
Other | 2 |
None / no problems | 47 |
Don’t know | 11 |
Speaking about the Republic of Crimea in general, are you satisfied, or not, with the situation in the republic? (closed-ended question, one answer % of total respondents) | |||||
| Total respondents | Russians | Ukrainians | Crimean tatars | Other ethnicity |
Completely satisfied | 30 | 31 | 27 | 27 | 34 |
Rather satisfied | 45 | 47 | 43 | 44 | 41 |
Rather dissatisfied | 16 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 15 |
Completely dissatisfied | 5 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
Don’t know | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
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!