25 August 2021. VCIOM presents the findings of a nationwide telephone–based survey and focus groups devote the V.Putin’s meeting with the United Russia party leadership on August 24.
VCIOM studied the public perceptions of the presidential speech at the United Russia party congress held on August 24th. The study encompassed a nationwide representative telephone survey and focus group discussions.
Most of focus group participants (79%) have favorable impressions of the presidential speech at the United Russia party congress on August 24th; 11% say their impressions were negative; 5% remained indifferent.
Most of focus group participants (79%) say it was interesting to listen to the presidential speech; 21% showed no interest.
A vast majority of focus group participants (87%) consider the topics touched upon by the president to be important and significant; 11% believe that only some part of the topics was significant; 2% say the topics discussed were hardly important. Two-thirds of focus group participants (64%) consider that V.Putin understands their problems; 24% oppose them.
Three-quarters of focus group participants (75%) think that V.Putin’s speech was honest and sincere; 12% doubt it.
Eighty-four percent of focus group participants consider that V.Putin stated his position clearly; 9% disagree with that.
Three-quarters of focus group participants (74%) consider that most of the tasks stated by the president will be solved to one degree or another; 24% do not think they will be solved.
Generally, Russians have positive perceptions of the presidential initiatives. The nationwide telephone-based survey shows that most of Russians supported the following proposals: one-time payment of 10 thousand rubles to retired persons, both working and non-working, (90%); creating job opportunities for disabled persons (89%); developing preventive health checks all across Russia to detect people who need timely healthcare services (89%); introduction of modern equipment and technologies at schools and health institutions (87%); and building a system to support families with children under 16-17 y.o.(86%).
Seventy-seven percent of focus group participants experienced exclusively positive emotions while watching the V.Putin’s speech at the congress (hope — 70%, trust — 38%, respect — 36%); 18% had negative emotions.
Half of focus group participants (50%) changed their attitudes toward the United Russia party for the better; 43% did not change their views; 7% of respondents say their attitudes have deteriorated.
VCIOM conducted five focus groups on 24 August 2021 during the V. Putin’s speech at the United Russia party congress; focus groups were commissioned by the Expert Institute for Social Research (EISI). Focus groups took place in the administrative centers and million-plus cities in different subjects of the Russian Federation. A total of 76 respondents aged 18 and older took part in the focus groups.
Russian nationwide telephone survey was conducted on August 24, 2021, and commissioned by the Expert Institute for Social Research (EISI). A total of 1,200 respondents aged 18 and older took part in the survey. Survey method: telephone-based interviews, stratified two-stage random sample of landline and mobile phone numbers from the full list of telephone numbers operating in Russia. 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 2.8%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
VCIOM conducted nine focus groups on 23 August 2021 during the V. Putin’s speech at the United Russia party congress; focus groups were commissioned by the Expert Institute for Social Research (EISI). Focus groups took place in the administrative centers and million-plus cities in different subjects of the Russian Federation. A total of 62 respondents aged 18 and older took part in the focus groups.
What is your overall impression of the V.Putin’s speech? (% of total test participants (who can vote for United Russia)) | |
| Total test participants |
Completely positive | 34 |
Likely positive | 45 |
Likely negative | 11 |
Completely negative | 0 |
Indifferent | 5 |
Don’t know | 5 |
When you were watching the Putin’s speech at the United Russia party congress, were you interested in what V.Putin was speaking about, or not? (% of total test participants (who can vote for United Russia)) | |
| Total test participants |
The entire performance was interesting | 49 |
The performance was mostly interesting | 30 |
Only a part of the performance was interesting | 14 |
In general, the performance was hardly interesting | 7 |
Don’t know | 0 |
In your opinion, were the topic and problems that V.Putin touched upon in his speech important, significant for the country in general? (% of total test participants (who can vote for United Russia)) | |
| Total test participants |
All the topics were important, significant | 55 |
Most of the topics were important, significant | 32 |
Only some part of the topics were important, significant | 11 |
Insignificant, unimportant topics were touched upon | 2 |
Based on what V.Putin spoke about, in your opinion, does he understand, or not, the problems of people like you? (% of total test participants (who can vote for United Russia)) | |
| Total test participants |
He understands the problems of people like me | 64 |
He does not understand the problems of people like me | 24 |
Don’t know | 12 |
Has your attitude towards the United Russia party changed after you watched the V.Putin’s speech at the party’s congress? If it has, in what way: has it improved or deteriorated? (% of total test participants (who can vote for United Russia)) | |
| Total test participants |
Likely to have improved | 50 |
Likely to have deteriorated | 7 |
No change | 43 |
In your opinion, was V.Putin honest, sincere or not honest, not sincere? (% of total test participants (who can vote for United Russia)) | |
| Total test participants |
Likely honest, sincere | 75 |
Unlikely honest, sincere | 12 |
Don’t know | 13 |
In your opinion, did V.Putin state his position clearly? (% of total test participants (who can vote for United Russia)) | |
| Total test participants |
Likely clear | 84 |
Unlikely clear | 9 |
Don’t know | 7 |
In your opinion, are the problems and tasks announced by the president at the party congress likely to be solved, or not? (% of total test participants (who can vote for United Russia)) | |
| Total test participants |
Tasks will be solved to one degree or another | 74 |
Most of the problems and tasks will not be solved | 24 |
Don’t know | 2 |
What is your attitude towards the implementation of the following proposals, initiatives: positive, negative or indifferent? (closed-ended question , one answer in each line, % of total respondents) All-Russian telephone survey data | |
| Total respondents |
One-time payment of an average of 15 (fifteen) thousand rubles to military personnel and equal status persons | |
Likely positive | 73 |
Likely negative | 8 |
Likely indifferent | 18 |
Don’t know | 1 |
One-time payment of an average of 10 (ten) thousand rubles to retired persons, both working and non-working | |
Likely positive | 90 |
Likely negative | 4 |
Likely indifferent | 6 |
Don’t know | 0 |
Developing national aircraft industry, designing a Russian medium-haul aircraft to operate routes from Moscow to the Far East (by the example Sukhoi Superjet-100 short-haul aircraft) | |
Likely positive | 68 |
Likely negative | 4 |
Likely indifferent | 25 |
Don’t know | 3 |
Development of Siberia: new cities and new jobs | |
Likely positive | 78 |
Likely negative | 6 |
Likely indifferent | 14 |
Don’t know | 2 |
Not admitting militants coming from Afghanistan under the guise of refugees. Abandoning the idea to place the Afghan refugees in the Central Asia countries Russia has no common boundaries with | |
Likely positive | 69 |
Likely negative | 14 |
Likely indifferent | 11 |
Don’t know | 6 |
Reducing the work load on teachers who have excessive reporting using digital technologies at school | |
Likely positive | 72 |
Likely negative | 10 |
Likely indifferent | 14 |
Don’t know | 4 |
Creating framework for training engineers not only in higher education institutions but also in colleges, vocational schools (launching new engineering schools for students) | |
Likely positive | 82 |
Likely negative | 6 |
Likely indifferent | 11 |
Don’t know | 1 |
Introduction of modern equipment and technologies at schools and health institutions | |
Likely positive | 87 |
Likely negative | 4 |
Likely indifferent | 7 |
Don’t know | 2 |
Developing preventive health screening across Russia to detect disorders among people who need timely medical care | |
Likely positive | 89 |
Likely negative | 4 |
Likely indifferent | 7 |
Don’t know | 0 |
Building a system supporting families with children under 16-17 | |
Likely positive | 86 |
Likely negative | 3 |
Likely indifferent | 9 |
Don’t know | 2 |
Creating more effective and simpler access to social benefits for people, as well as the protection of social payments against automatic withdrawals by financial institutions | |
Likely positive | 79 |
Likely negative | 5 |
Likely indifferent | 12 |
Don’t know | 4 |
Creating job opportunities for persons with health disabilities | |
Likely positive | 89 |
Likely negative | 2 |
Likely indifferent | 7 |
Don’t know | 2 |
Suspension of regular inspection for small business in upcoming 2022 | |
Likely positive | 51 |
Likely negative | 10 |
Likely indifferent | 34 |
Don’t know | 5 |
Modernizing and providing people in rural areas with more Russian Post services, with options such as buying medicines or access to state services | |
Likely positive | 80 |
Likely negative | 7 |
Likely indifferent | 11 |
Don’t know | 2 |
What emotions did the V. Putin’s speech at the United Russia party congress evoke in you? (% of total test participants (who can vote for United Russia), not more than 3 responses) August 23 | |
| Total test participants |
Hope | 77 |
Trust | 38 |
Respect | 36 |
Confidence in the future | 33 |
Pride | 21 |
Worry | 11 |
Irritation | 10 |
Indignation, discontent | 5 |
Disappointment | 3 |
Anxiety | 3 |
Indifference | 2 |
Other feelings | 3 |