Every second Russian has visited Ukraine at least once; 70% would let Ukrainians enter Russian families; 92% welcome Ukrainian tourists.
MOSCOW, April 10, 2014. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the information describing what feelings Russians have for Ukrainians; how close they feel they are to each other.
Forty-five percent of Russians have visited Ukraine at least once in their lifetime. They are mainly residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg (74%), respondents aged 60 and over (56%) and persons with high level of income (56%). Most of them went there as tourists (46%), especially 25-34-year-old Russians (59%), or visited friends or relatives (44%). One half of Russians (54%) have never been to Ukraine; they are basically young respondents aged 18 - 24 (70%) and rural area residents (66%).
Russians express ambiguous feelings about Ukrainians. Every fifth Russian feels liking (21%) or respect (20%): they are mainly metropolitan residents (respectively, 36% and 27%). However 18% cite disappointment. Fifteen percent of Russians are indifferent toward Ukrainians; they are mainly young Russians (25%), rather than elderly respondents (10%). Twelve percent of Russians condemn Ukrainians; 11% distrust them.
The overwhelming majority of Russian is positive about the idea of letting the Ukrainians visit Russia as tourists (92%) or sharing with them the same street (88%). Russians do not oppose letting Ukrainian tourists visit the same cinemas, malls et cet. - 92% of respondents. Three-quarter of Russians (76%) would agree if their doctor were a citizen of Ukrainian.
Seventy percent of Russians would not mind letting Ukrainians be part of their families. They are both those Russians who visited Ukraine (72%) and those who have never been there (68%). Nineteen percent of Russians would not like to have Ukrainians among their relatives. Two-thirds of Russians agree to be subordinate to a Ukrainian boss (66%); they are opposed by one-quarter of Russians (25%).
The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on March 29-30, 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%.
Have you ever been to Ukraine? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St. Petersburg | Million cities | More than 500 ths | 100–500 ths | Less than 100 ths | Rural area |
Yes | 45 | 74 | 39 | 51 | 48 | 43 | 33 |
No | 54 | 25 | 61 | 48 | 52 | 57 | 66 |
Don`t know | less1 | 1 | less1 | 1 | less1 | less1 | less1 |
If you have been to Ukraine, what did you do there? (close-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who have been to Ukraine) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 and more |
Yes, as a tourist | 46 | 55 | 59 | 48 | 42 | 40 |
Yes, I visited relatives/friends | 44 | 42 | 38 | 46 | 45 | 45 |
Yes, on a business tip | 9 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 13 |
Yes, I was born there and I lived there | 6 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 |
Yes, I studied there (university, courses) | 2 | less1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
Other | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
What emotions/feelings do you have for Ukrainians? (close-ended question, 2 answers) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 and more |
Positive emotions (58%) | ||||||
Liking | 21 | 17 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 |
Respect | 20 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 20 |
Trust | 7 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
Sympathy /compassion | 6 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Admiration | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Love | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Negative emotions (47%) | ||||||
Disappointment | 18 | 12 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 19 |
Condemnation | 12 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 15 |
Distrust | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 12 |
Dislike | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
Hatred | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Neutral emotions (15%) | ||||||
Indifference | 15 | 25 | 20 | 14 | 11 | 10 |
| ||||||
Other | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
Don`t know | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
Do you agree/disagree with the following statements? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||
Ukrainians come to Russia as tourists | |||
| Total respondents | I have been to Ukraine | I have not been to Ukraine |
Rather agree | 92 | 93 | 91 |
Rater disagree | 7 | 6 | 8 |
Don`t know | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Ukrainians visit the same cinemas, malls et cet. as you | |||
| Total respondents | I have been to Ukraine | I have not been to Ukraine |
Rather agree | 92 | 94 | 90 |
Rater disagree | 6 | 4 | 8 |
Don`t know | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Ukrainians live in the same district/street as you | |||
| Total respondents | I have been to Ukraine | I have not been to Ukraine |
Rather agree | 88 | 90 | 86 |
Rater disagree | 9 | 7 | 10 |
Don`t know | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Your doctor is Ukrainian | |||
| Total respondents | I have been to Ukraine | I have not been to Ukraine |
Rather agree | 76 | 77 | 76 |
Rater disagree | 17 | 16 | 17 |
Don`t know | 7 | 7 | 7 |
A member of your family is Ukrainian (husband/wife/ son-in-law et cet.) | |||
| Total respondents | I have been to Ukraine | I have not been to Ukraine |
Rather agree | 70 | 72 | 68 |
Rater disagree | 19 | 16 | 21 |
Don`t know | 11 | 11 | 10 |
Your boss is Ukrainian | |||
| Total respondents | I have been to Ukraine | I have not been to Ukraine |
Rather agree | 66 | 67 | 66 |
Rater disagree | 25 | 24 | 26 |
Don`t know | 9 | 9 | 8 |
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!