Low oil prices rather than western sanctions are to be blamed for the economic problems of Russia, as Russians say. They are not ready to give up anything to eliminate sanctions.
MOSCOW, March 11, 2015. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of the survey devoted to the following questions. What is the biggest reason why Russian economy is in trouble? Should Russia seek for cancellation of the western sanctions? What can be sacrificed for that?
Thirty-nine percent of Russians believe that the oil price crash is the main reason that has led to the problems in Russia`s economy in recent six months. Nineteen percent of respondents mention harmful effects of sanctions. The same share of respondents (18%) blame Russian economy for being too weak to resist. Other 14% are confident that it is poor performance of the Russian government that caused negative effects.
Most of respondents (57%) believe it is necessary for Russia to achieve cancellation of anti-Russian sanctions as the western countries will soon lift restrictions imposed by them (64% of CPRF supporters; 62% of persons who have high income).
They are opposed by one-third of respondents (33%) who believe that the negative effects on Russia` economy are immense, thus, Russia should make efforts to change the situaiton. However, only a small part of respondents would give up something for that: 1% of respondents (per each group) would abandon things they got used to (imported fooods, travelling abroad et cet.), decrease salaries or cut the export operations. One percent of Russians think it is appropriate to reduce aid to the residents of Donbass and Ukrainian refugees or even to return Crimea to Ukraine. At the same time, 14% report that, seeking for the cancellation of the western sanctions, Russia should not make any concessions; 78% are undecided.
The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on February 14-15, 2015; 1600 respondents were interviewed in 132 communities in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.5%.
In your opinion, what has had the most negative effect on Russia`s economy? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
Falling oil prices | 39 | 44 | 37 | 40 | 38 | 38 |
Western sanctions | 19 | 24 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 20 |
Inherent weakness of Russian economy | 18 | 14 | 21 | 15 | 21 | 16 |
Ineffective measures of the Russian government | 14 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 14 | 12 |
Other | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Don`t know | 8 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 11 |
In your opinion, should Russia seek for cancellation of the western sanctions? (closed-ended question, one answer) | |||||
| Total respondents | Elementary (incomplete secondary) education | Secondary education (school, vocational school) | Secondary education (school, vocational school) | Incomplete higher (not less than three years in a higher education institute), higher education |
Yes, because the effects are too harmful | 33 | 33 | 32 | 34 | 31 |
No, sanctions equally cause harm to Russia and to western countries; the West will soon cancel them | 57 | 45 | 57 | 56 | 60 |
Don`t know | 11 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
In your opinion, what can be abandoned to stop using sanctions? (open-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who consider that Russia should seek for cancellation of sanctions) | |
| Total respondents |
Nothing | 14 |
Usual things (“tasty food”, “abandoning western foods”, “refusal to travel abroad”, “giving up things people got used to in recent years”) | 1 |
Ukraine (DPR, LPR, “less support for Ukraine, let them pay their debts”, “do not allow Ukrainian refugees enter Russia”, “help Ukraine”) | 1 |
Living standards (“review salaries of governmental officials”, “decrease in my own standard of living”, “cut salaries to budget workers”) | 1 |
Pride, political principles ( ("pride and prejudice", "less expressing its opinion, declaring interest in global politics”, “political principles”, "arrogance") | 1 |
Crimea (“return Crimea”, “give Crimea back”, “Crimea back”) | 1 |
Debt of other countries ( ("partial cancellation of debt of other countries", "debts", "money”) | 1 |
Export (“trade”, to cut gas supplies to Europe”, “part of raw material”, “export”) | 1 |
Retaliatory sanctions (“to cancel our sanctions in return”, “Russian sanctions”) | <1 |
Government ( ("replace the government") | <1 |
Other (“cultural exchange”, “developing Russia`s economy”, “stab fund”, “orientation towards ruble”) | 1 |
Don`t know | 78 |
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!