Moscow is good for studying, working and earning money but any place within Russia is good for living, loving and raising children, Russians say.
MOSCOW, September 8, 2017. Shortly before the Day of Moscow the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of a study devoted to the Russian capital.
Most of associations related to Moscow are neutral and mainly attributive: capital (31%), Red Square (13%), Kremlin (12%), large metropolitan city with a great number of residents. One of capital’s basic benefits is its beauty (12%), and its disadvantages involve traffic jams (4%) and hectic rhythm (4%).
Moscow is considered to be a city of opportunities for studies (56% say that the capital provides more educational opportunities than any other Russian region), work (52%) and ensuring financial well-being (50%); other aspects of living in a metropolitan city appear to be less attractive.
About a third of respondents are confident that people can equally find interesting leisure activities (36%), become a person of influence (36%), or start a business (45%) both in Moscow and other Russian cities. Most of Russians believe that living for pleasure (58%) and love (66%), raising children (57%), and expressing civic position (67%) can be available in any Russian location.
As far as the environmental conditions are concerned, Moscow looks least attractive (78% say that other regions provide better environmental conditions; only 4% mentioned Moscow). The same thing can be said about housing problem (52% and 10, respectively) and safe environment (42% and 10%).
But despite certain shortcomings, Moscow is still a major attraction: three quarters of residents of other regions (the Moscow residents were not asked) report to have visited Moscow at least once (76%, including 31% of those who have done that in the last four years).
The Medialogia Company has analyzed the most visible Moscow events covered by the Russian media. The top five events involve the launch of Moscow’s renovation program, the March protest action, a hurricane which caused severe damage and fatalities; the World FIFA Confederations Cup matches, the relics of St. Nicholas which have been delivered to Christ the Savior Cathedral.
The VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide survey was conducted on September 3-5, 2017. The survey involved 1,800 Russians aged 18 and over, 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 for the probability of selection and reflect 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.
Results for the 2005-2015 studies are based on household surveys.
The Russian media publications were monitored and analyzed by the Medialogia Company using the company’s media database involving approximately 42,000 media sources such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines, news agencies and online media. Event ranking is based on Event Visibility – an indicator calculated as the sum of visibility scores of mentions on certain topic in the most high-profile media. The study took place from August 2016 to August 2017.
What thoughts come first to your mind when you hear the word ‘Moscow’? Can you name two or three of them? (open-ended question, not more than three answers, %) | |
| Total respondents |
Neutral associations | |
Capital | 31 |
Res Square | 13 |
Kremlin | 12 |
Center of Russia | 6 |
Government, President | 5 |
Many people | 5 |
Big city | 4 |
Mausoleum/Lenin | 4 |
Songs about Moscow/quotations | 3 |
Theaters/museums/parks/galleries | 3 |
Metropolitan city | 3 |
Many migrants | 3 |
Metro/train stations/airports | 2 |
Money | 2 |
Golden-Domed City | 2 |
Cultural/scientific center | 2 |
Relatives/friends live there | 2 |
Income/job/business missions | 2 |
City of the rich/oligarchs et cet. | 2 |
VDNKh (National Economy Achievement Exhibition) | 1 |
Hero city | 1 |
Moscow river | 1 |
Positive associations | |
Beautiful city | 12 |
Wonderful/good/normal city | 5 |
Progress/development | 5 |
High living standards | 3 |
Pride | 3 |
City of big opportunities | 2 |
Native city/city where I live | 2 |
Splendid city | 1 |
Clean | 1 |
Well-wishing, hospitality | 1 |
Negative associations | |
Traffic jams | 4 |
Separate country/state within a state, et cet. | 4 |
Hectic atmosphere/ insane pace of life | 4 |
Dislike/other negative emotions | 3 |
Everything is made for Moscow /We give everything to Moscow | 3 |
Boorish behavior, rudeness, ill-naturedness | 2 |
Roads, constant repairs and road construction, poor sidewalks | 1 |
Everything is too expensive | 1 |
Thieves, criminals, high crime rate | 1 |
‘Big village’ | 1 |
Dirty | 1 |
Other | |
Other associations | 5 |
Don' t know | 11 |
In your opinion, what place provides more opportunities to do the following things? (closed-ended question, one answer for each line, %) | |||||
|
| More opportunities in Moscow
| More opportunities outside of Moscow, in other regions and cities of Russia | Almost equal opportunities | Don' t know |
To get high-quality education | 2005 | 62 | 10 | 25 | 3 |
2006 | 56 | 9 | 30 | 5 | |
2008 | 56 | 11 | 28 | 5 | |
2009 | 51 | 15 | 30 | 4 | |
2010 | 45 | 20 | 30 | 5 | |
2012 | 49 | 16 | 31 | 4 | |
2013 | 43 | 21 | 32 | 4 | |
2017 | 56 | 9 | 33 | 2 | |
To a find an appropriate job | 2005 | 59 | 9 | 25 | 7 |
2006 | 55 | 12 | 26 | 7 | |
2008 | 57 | 12 | 26 | 5 | |
2009 | 46 | 20 | 29 | 5 | |
2010 | 48 | 21 | 24 | 7 | |
2012 | 46 | 20 | 30 | 4 | |
2013 | 40 | 23 | 33 | 4 | |
2017 | 52 | 11 | 32 | 5 | |
To make provision for family to provide a decent living
| 2005 | 59 | 9 | 26 | 6 |
2006 | 62 | 8 | 24 | 6 | |
2008 | 57 | 12 | 24 | 7 | |
2009 | 46 | 19 | 31 | 4 | |
2010 | 48 | 21 | 26 | 5 | |
2012 | 47 | 18 | 30 | 5 | |
2013 | 47 | 21 | 28 | 4 | |
2017 | 50 | 11 | 31 | 8 | |
To have interesting and intense leisure activities | 2005 | 49 | 13 | 32 | 6 |
2006 | 43 | 13 | 38 | 6 | |
2008 | 44 | 16 | 33 | 7 | |
2009 | 39 | 21 | 35 | 5 | |
2010 | 37 | 23 | 33 | 7 | |
2012 | 41 | 21 | 34 | 4 | |
2013 | 37 | 26 | 33 | 4 | |
2017 | 39 | 19 | 36 | 6 | |
To make it into the power structure, to become a person of influence | 2005 | 54 | 11 | 23 | 12 |
2006 | 50 | 12 | 26 | 12 | |
2008 | 48 | 14 | 24 | 14 | |
2009 | 37 | 19 | 30 | 14 | |
2010 | 39 | 19 | 25 | 17 | |
2012 | 44 | 17 | 28 | 11 | |
2013 | 37 | 21 | 30 | 12 | |
2017 | 35 | 17 | 36 | 12 | |
To keep healthy | 2005 | 12 | 48 | 34 | 6 |
2006 | 15 | 44 | 34 | 7 | |
2008 | 12 | 48 | 32 | 8 | |
2009 | 10 | 51 | 33 | 6 | |
2010 | 12 | 51 | 29 | 8 | |
2012 | 14 | 48 | 34 | 4 | |
2013 | 13 | 50 | 33 | 4 | |
2017 | 23 | 42 | 31 | 4 | |
To run a business, to start a business | 2005 | 41 | 14 | 35 | 10 |
2006 | 35 | 17 | 36 | 12 | |
2008 | 37 | 17 | 33 | 13 | |
2009 | 28 | 24 | 38 | 10 | |
2010 | 32 | 25 | 31 | 12 | |
2012 | 33 | 23 | 35 | 9 | |
2013 | 29 | 24 | 38 | 9 | |
2017 | 21 | 23 | 45 | 11 | |
To freely express civil position, political views | 2013 | 21 | 20 | 46 | 13 |
2017 | 17 | 10 | 67 | 6 | |
To live in safe environment | 2005 | 11 | 49 | 31 | 9 |
2006 | 16 | 41 | 36 | 7 | |
2008 | 13 | 46 | 31 | 10 | |
2009 | 11 | 50 | 33 | 6 | |
2010 | 12 | 47 | 33 | 8 | |
2012 | 14 | 46 | 34 | 6 | |
2013 | 15 | 53 | 27 | 5 | |
2017 | 10 | 42 | 42 | 6 | |
To solve housing problems | 2005 | 16 | 39 | 34 | 11 |
2006 | 25 | 33 | 30 | 12 | |
2008 | 16 | 43 | 28 | 13 | |
2009 | 15 | 39 | 36 | 10 | |
2010 | 17 | 43 | 28 | 12 | |
2012 | 17 | 44 | 32 | 7 | |
2013 | 15 | 46 | 33 | 6 | |
2017 | 10 | 52 | 31 | 7 | |
To live freely, to do what you want | 2005 | 22 | 15 | 51 | 12 |
2006 | 27 | 14 | 50 | 9 | |
2008 | 22 | 19 | 46 | 13 | |
2009 | 17 | 22 | 51 | 10 | |
2010 | 21 | 24 | 43 | 12 | |
2012 | 23 | 24 | 44 | 9 | |
2013 | 19 | 26 | 48 | 7 | |
2017 | 10 | 25 | 58 | 7 | |
To find truelove, to create a happy family | 2005 | 8 | 16 | 69 | 7 |
2006 | 15 | 15 | 63 | 7 | |
2008 | 12 | 16 | 61 | 11 | |
2009 | 8 | 20 | 67 | 5 | |
2010 | 13 | 19 | 60 | 8 | |
2012 | 15 | 24 | 56 | 5 | |
2013 | 11 | 25 | 59 | 5 | |
2017 | 6 | 19 | 66 | 9 | |
To raise good children, to secure them against negative influences | 2005 | 7 | 29 | 59 | 5 |
2006 | 14 | 25 | 55 | 6 | |
2008 | 11 | 28 | 55 | 6 | |
2009 | 8 | 32 | 56 | 4 | |
2010 | 12 | 31 | 50 | 7 | |
2012 | 12 | 36 | 48 | 4 | |
2013 | 11 | 38 | 49 | 2 | |
2017 | 6 | 33 | 57 | 4 | |
To live in favorable environmental conditions | 2005 | 7 | 68 | 18 | 7 |
2006 | 12 | 58 | 24 | 6 | |
2008 | 8 | 67 | 18 | 7 | |
2009 | 6 | 66 | 22 | 6 | |
2010 | 9 | 65 | 20 | 6 | |
2012 | 11 | 61 | 24 | 4 | |
2013 | 10 | 65 | 21 | 4 | |
2017 | 4 | 78 | 15 | 3 |
Have you ever been to Moscow? (closed-ended question, one answer, %, question was NOT addressed to Moscow residents ) |
| |||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | |
Yes, over the last four years | 26 | 26 | 31 | |
Yes, 5 or 15 years ago | 18 | 18 | 19 | |
Yes, 16 or 25 years ago | 12 | 10 | 10 | |
Yes, more than 25 years ago | 11 | 11 | 16 | |
No, never | 32 | 34 | 23 | |
Don’t know | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
TOP 10 MOSCOW EVENTS OF THE YEAR
Ranking | Event | Event visibility |
1 | Launch of renovation program in Moscow | 4 987.3 |
2 | Protest action held in March | 2 906.1 |
3 | Moscow hurricane which led to dramatic consequences and fatalities | 1 270.8 |
4 | FIFA Confederations Cup held in Moscow | 959.6 |
5 | Relics of St. Nicholas delivered to Christ the Savior Cathedral | 887.3 |
6 | Fire at the plastic warehouse in Amurskaya Street | 801.6 |
7 | Immortal Regiment march in Moscow | 703.6 |
8 | Court delivered a verdict regarding the participants of the Gelandewagen race | 406.9 |
9 | Opening of a monument to the Prince Vladimir on Borovitskaya Square | 379.1 |
10 | One person was killed and three were injured as a result of the Kaluga Highway collapse in New Moscow | 325.6 |
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! The use of the Medialogia system content, fully or partially, must be accompanied by the reference to the Medialogia Company.