Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

The VCIOM-Sputnik survey data suggest that Russia’s potential military rivals are the U.S. and Ukraine, and allies - Belarus, China and Kazakhstan.

MOSCOW, June 28, 2017. The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of a survey devoted to the military threat - Russia’s potential allies and rivals.

More than one-third of Russians

<link wciom.ru/index.php;

feel</link> militarily threatened. A potential threat comes from the U.S.A. (63% among those who believe that there is a military threat) and Ukraine (31%). Compared to the sample mean, these countries are less likely to be mentioned by supporters of non-parliamentary parties (31% and 12%, respectively) and residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg (51% and 23%). This is followed by NATO countries (7%), China (5%), Great Britain (4%), ISIL (4%), Syria (3%), Germany (3%) and other countries.

At the same time, Russians say that allied support might come from China (41%), Belarus (25%) and Kazakhstan (18%). The former USSR countries gained about 20% in total. Some respondents expect support from the US. and Ukraine; however this share is small (2% per each group). Every tenth (10%) considers that in the event of an attack there is no country Russia can seek help from.

The VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide survey was conducted on June 16-17, 2017, using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia, and involved 1,200 respondents. Russians aged 18 and over took part in the survey. 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 3.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

If you think that there is a military threat to Russia, what country does it come from?

 (open-ended question, not more than three answers, % of those who consider that there is a threat to Russia coming from particular country today; answers mentioned by at least 1% of respondents during the latest survey)

 

Total respondents

A Just Russia party

Supporters of LDPR

Supporters of CPRF

Supporters of United Russia party

Supporters of non-parliamentary parties

USA

63

49

63

67

68

31

Ukraine

31

38

22

30

36

12

NATO countries

7

9

12

6

6

7

China

5

2

3

10

4

0

Great Britain

4

7

2

3

4

0

ISIL

4

9

3

3

2

18

Syria

3

0

6

1

3

2

Germany

3

0

4

0

4

0

Korea

2

0

3

2

3

0

Baltic states

2

0

0

2

2

14

Eastern countries

2

0

0

0

1

19

EU countries

1

1

1

1

2

0

Turkey

1

0

2

2

1

0

Lithuania

1

3

2

3

1

0

France

1

0

0

0

1

0

Latvia

1

0

2

3

0

0

South Korea

1

0

0

0

1

0

North  Korea

1

0

0

0

1

0

Poland

1

0

0

3

0

0

Mongolia

1

0

0

0

1

0

Other  countries

4

0

0

0

5

4

Don’t know

12

7

14

12

11

14

If you think that a particular country may attack Russia, what country can it be?

 (open-ended question, not more than three answers, % of those who consider that there is a threat to Russia coming from particular country today; answers mentioned by at least 1% of respondents during the latest survey)

 

Total respondents

Moscow and St.Petersburg

Million cities

More than 500 ths

100–500 ths

Less than 100 ths

Rural area

USA

63

51

56

60

59

76

65

Ukraine

31

23

26

39

33

35

28

NATO countries

7

16

1

2

8

6

8

China

5

14

4

9

2

7

2

Great Britain

4

5

0

13

5

4

2

ISIL

4

7

6

1

8

1

1

Syria

3

0

0

1

3

1

8

Germany

3

5

0

0

3

1

5

Korea

2

6

3

3

0

2

3

Baltic states

2

0

0

0

1

3

4

Eastern countries

2

0

14

0

1

2

0

EU countries

1

1

2

0

1

4

1

Turkey

1

1

0

0

1

1

2

Lithuania

1

0

0

0

3

1

1

France

1

3

0

0

1

1

0

Latvia

1

3

0

0

1

0

1

South Korea

1

0

0

0

0

3

0

North  Korea

1

0

0

4

0

1

1

Poland

1

0

0

0

2

0

1

Mongolia

1

5

0

0

0

0

0

Other  countries

4

6

2

3

4

3

4

Don’t know

12

18

10

11

12

11

11

What countries could be Russia’s allies, support us in the event of an attack on Russia?

 (open-ended question, not more than three answers, % answers mentioned by at least 1% of respondents during the latest survey)

 

Total respondents

A Just Russia party

Supporters of LDPR

Supporters of CPRF

Supporters of United Russia party

Supporters of non-parliamentary parties

China

41

41

37

41

46

22

Belarus

25

30

22

21

24

31

Kazakhstan

18

17

20

21

18

24

India

9

6

11

16

10

3

Former USSR countries

4

6

5

1

5

0

France

3

2

0

1

4

2

Japan

3

3

3

6

3

1

Armenia

3

2

1

9

2

3

Germany

2

2

4

0

3

2

USA

2

3

1

1

3

3

Syria

2

3

0

5

2

0

Turkey

2

5

1

1

2

2

Serbia

2

1

2

1

1

5

Korea

2

0

3

2

1

5

Ukraine

2

4

3

2

2

0

Mongolia

1

0

4

0

2

0

Tajikistan

1

1

1

3

1

2

Azerbaijan

1

0

1

5

0

8

Uzbekistan

1

1

3

2

1

1

Iran

1

0

2

1

1

0

Kyrgyzstan

1

0

2

2

1

0

Poland

1

1

0

0

1

2

Great Britain

1

0

0

2

1

0

Bulgaria

1

0

1

1

0

5

Moldavia

1

0

0

0

1

0

Abkhazia

1

0

0

0

1

0

SCO countries

1

0

0

1

0

0

Italy

1

0

0

1

1

0

Asian countries

1

1

0

1

1

2

North Korea

1

0

1

1

0

1

Saudi Arabia

1

0

0

0

1

0

Slovenia

1

0

0

0

1

0

Other counties

7

6

11

12

6

6

None

10

11

9

12

7

15

Don’t know

23

19

25

19

22

22

What countries could be Russia’s allies, support us in the event of an attack on Russia?

 (open-ended question, not more than three answers, % answers mentioned by at least 1% of respondents during the latest survey)

 

Total respondents 

Aged  18-24

Aged  25-34

Aged  35-44

Aged  45-59

Aged  60 and more

China

41

45

45

46

38

37

Belarus

25

12

23

24

29

25

Kazakhstan

18

6

14

16

27

19

India

9

4

5

13

9

11

Former USSR countries

4

11

2

1

5

3

France

3

4

6

2

2

2

Japan

3

5

3

3

1

3

Armenia

3

4

2

1

4

3

Germany

2

2

5

1

2

2

USA

2

3

3

2

1

2

Syria

2

0

2

3

1

3

Turkey

2

2

1

2

2

3

Serbia

2

0

1

1

2

3

Korea

2

1

2

1

2

2

Ukraine

2

3

1

2

1

2

Mongolia

1

2

2

1

1

1

Tajikistan

1

0

2

1

1

1

Azerbaijan

1

1

0

0

3

2

Uzbekistan

1

1

1

1

1

1

Iran

1

0

1

2

1

1

Kyrgyzstan

1

0

1

1

1

2

Chechen Republic

1

2

2

1

1

0

Poland

1

0

1

1

1

0

Great Britain

1

2

2

0

0

0

Bulgaria

1

2

0

1

0

1

Moldavia

1

0

0

0

1

1

Abkhazia

1

0

0

0

1

1

SCO countries

1

0

0

0

0

2

Italy

1

0

2

0

0

0

Asian countries

1

0

0

0

1

1

North Korea

1

0

1

1

0

0

Saudi Arabia

1

0

1

1

0

0

Slovenia

1

0

0

0

2

0

Other counties

6

9

4

7

7

5

None

10

3

11

10

10

12

Don’t know

23

30

21

22

21

24

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