MOSCOW, February 19, 2010. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data concerning the amount of Russians who want to see their relatives as serviceman and why they protest against service in the Army.
More than one third of Russians want to see their relatives as servicemen (36%). This was stated by men (41%) and poorly educated respondents (53%), as well as inhabitants of Siberia and Volga region (47 and 44%). A half of our fellow-citizens wouldn't approve the intension of their son (brother, husband or other relative) to serve in the armed forces (50%). The same attitude is typical for women (54%), well-educated Russians (57%), residents from the Southern and North-Western districts (56 and 55%).
The representatives of various generations have opposite points of view on the service in the Army. The older our fellow-citizens are, the more often they express a desire for seeing their relatives as serviceman (42% of elderly people vs. 39% people of 18-24 years old). On the contrary the younger respondents are, the more amount of people who are against the service in the Army (55% people of 18-24 years old vs. 39% of Russians older 60).
Hazing became more important reason of refusal to serve in the Army than military operations. If earlier the opponents of the service in the Army argued that there is a danger of death or wounding in the military conflicts (64 and 60% in 2000 and 2002), then now this factor stepped aside (51%), the main reason is viewed as hazing and bullying (75%, in 2000 - 45%). The third popular reason is suppression and humiliation of servicemen (43%, in 2000 - 22%). More rarely our fellow-citizens enumerate the following arguments: hard conditions of life (35%), disorganization of the Army (30%), demoralization of servicemen (29%, in 2000 - 19%), criminalization of the Army (20%, ten years ago - 14%), loss of time (19%, in 2000 - 10%).
Men and women are inclined to present different arguments against the service in the armed forces. Men more often name supression (46%), disorganization (37%) and criminalization (23%), loss of time (23%). For women hazing (80%), health hazards (53%) are more essential factors.
The initiative Russian opinion poll was conducted on February 13-14, 2010. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4 %.
Would you want that your son, husband or other close relative served in the Army now? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||
Total respondents | Gender | ||
Men | Women | ||
Rather yes | 36 | 41 | 32 |
Rather no | 50 | 46 | 54 |
Hard to tell | 14 | 13 | 15 |
Would you want that your son, husband or other close relative served in the Army now? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
Total respondents | How can you assess the state of the Russian Army? | |||||
Very good | Good | So-so | Bad | Very bad | ||
More yes | 36 | 36 | 57 | 38 | 27 | 24 |
More no | 50 | 54 | 30 | 47 | 66 | 67 |
Hard to tell | 14 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 7 | 9 |
If you don't want your son, brother, husband or close relative serve now in the Army, please, tell why? (close-ended question, any number of answers) | |||
2000 | 2002 | 2010 | |
Because of hazing, bullying, acts of violence | 45 | 51 | 75 |
Because of possibility of death or wounding in the conflicts as Chechnya | 64 | 60 | 51 |
Because of suppression and humiliation of serviceman | 22 | 24 | 43 |
Because of hard conditions of life, bad nutrition, danger of health | 34 | 31 | 35 |
Because of disorganization of the Army, irresponsible behavior of authorities regarding the Army | 27 | 28 | 30 |
Because of demoralization, hard drinking, drug addiction in the Army | 19 | 22 | 29 |
Because of criminalization of the Army, draw of servicemen to criminal cases | 14 | 15 | 20 |
Years spent in the Army is loss of time | 10 | 12 | 19 |
Because of other reasons | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Can't give any particular reasons | 7 | 7 | 2 |
If you don't want your son, brother, husband or close relative serve now in the Army, please, tell why? (close-ended question, any number of answers) | |||
Total respondents | Gender | ||
Men | Women | ||
Because of hazing, bullying, acts of violence | 75 | 69 | 80 |
Because of possibility of death or wounding in the conflicts as Chechnya | 51 | 47 | 53 |
Because of suppression and humiliation of serviceman | 43 | 46 | 42 |
Because of hard conditions of life, bad nutrition, danger of health | 35 | 36 | 34 |
Because of disorganization of the Army, irresponsible behavior of authorities regarding the Army | 30 | 37 | 25 |
Because of demoralization, hard drinking, drug addiction in the Army | 29 | 28 | 29 |
Because of criminalization of the Army, draw of servicemen to criminal cases | 20 | 23 | 17 |
Years spent in the Army is loss of time | 19 | 23 | 16 |
Because of other reasons | 7 | 7 | 7 |
Can't give any particular reasons | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!