Russians are not afraid of sanctions of Western countries yet.
MOSCOW, March 26, 2014. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the information concerning how Russians assess different sanctions imposed by Western countries on Russia, as well as the current relations between Russia and the West.
Russians are not scared by sanctions of Western countries. Only economic sanctions can cause problems, according to 26% of Russians. However, half of respondents (57%) say that these sanctions are not so dramatic to abandon the initiative to incorporate Crimea in case sanctions are applied.
According to 23% of Russians, Russia should not incorporate Crimea if Ukraine joins NATO; 56% of respondents do not consider it as a solid reason to refuse the idea to incorporate Crimea. One-fifth (20%) is afraid that Russia will be excluded from the G8 and other international organizations. Most insignificant measures would be sanctions such as denied visas to Russians to enter the U.S.A. and European countries (74%), blocking of accounts of Russian citizens in Western countries (73%), recalling ambassadors of Western countries from Russia (67%), and cancellation of the G8 Summit in Sochi (67%).
The relationships between Russia and Western countries are deteriorating, according to every second respondent (49%); moreover, over the recent seven years the share of respondents who think so has tripled (from 17% in 2007). At the same time, 52% believe that the relationships between Russia and the West can only by tense and based on distrust. Only 9% report positive dynamics (versus 29% in 2007). One-third of respondents (36%) say that today Russia is communicating with the Western countries in the same way as before. Thirty-four percent of Russians hope that countries will come to friendly relationships.
The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on March 15-16, 2014. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 communities in 42 regions of Russia. Data are weighted by gender, age, education, working status and type of settlement. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
Due to the Crimea question, a number of Western countries can impose political and economic sanctions on Russia. In your opinion, will these sanctions have any substantial consequences? Should Russia abandon the idea to incorporate Crimea? Which sanctions will not be significant? (close-ended question, one answer per each statement) | |
Economic sanctions | |
Consequences will be insignificant; due to these consequences the idea to incorporate Crimea should not be abandoned | 57 |
Consequences will be significant; the idea to incorporate Crimea should be abandoned | 26 |
Don`t know | 17 |
Ukraine`s accession to WTO | |
Consequences will be insignificant; due to these consequences the idea to incorporate Crimea should not be abandoned | 56 |
Consequences will be significant; the idea to incorporate Crimea should be abandoned | 23 |
Don`t know | 20 |
Exclusion of Russia from the G8 and other international organizations | |
Consequences will be insignificant; due to these consequences the idea to incorporate Crimea should not be abandoned | 59 |
Consequences will be significant; the idea to incorporate Crimea should be abandoned | 20 |
Don`t know | 21 |
Association agreement between Ukraine and European Union | |
Consequences will be insignificant; due to these consequences the idea to incorporate Crimea should not be abandoned | 62 |
Consequences will be significant; the idea to incorporate Crimea should be abandoned | 18 |
Don`t know | 20 |
Cancellation of the G8 Summit in Sochi | |
Consequences will be insignificant; due to these consequences the idea to incorporate Crimea should not be abandoned | 67 |
Consequences will be significant; the idea to incorporate Crimea should be abandoned | 15 |
Don`t know | 18 |
Recalling Western ambassadors from Moscow | |
Consequences will be insignificant; due to these consequences the idea to incorporate Crimea should not be abandoned | 67 |
Consequences will be significant; the idea to incorporate Crimea should be abandoned | 15 |
Don`t know | 18 |
Blocking accounts of Russian citizens in Western countries | |
Consequences will be insignificant; due to these consequences the idea to incorporate Crimea should not be abandoned | 73 |
Consequences will be significant; the idea to incorporate Crimea should be abandoned | 14 |
Don`t know | 13 |
Refusal to issue visas to Russians to enter the U.S. and Europe | |
Consequences will be insignificant; due to these consequences the idea to incorporate Crimea should not be abandoned | 74 |
Consequences will be significant; the idea to incorporate Crimea should be abandoned | 13 |
Don`t know | 13 |
In your opinion, are relationships between Russia and Western countries deteriorating or improving? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||
| 2007 | 2008* | 2014 |
Rather deteriorating | 17 | 39 | 49 |
Rather improving | 29 | 19 | 9 |
Staying the same | 33 | 26 | 36 |
Don`t know | 21 | 16 | 6 |
* in 2008 the question was asked after the developments in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
Which of the following statements do you most agree with? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | 60 and over |
Relationships between Russia and Western countries can only be tense and be based on distrust | 52 | 45 | 48 | 54 | 52 | 56 |
Relationships between Russia and Western countries can be friendly | 34 | 39 | 38 | 30 | 33 | 30 |
Don`t know | 14 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 14 |
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!