MOSCOW, February 22, 2008 In view of the Fatherland defender’s day Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information on how Russians estimate our country's defensive capacity, what type of recruitment for the army suites us best and why.During the last eight years Russians have become more confident of the fact that our army will manage to protect the country in case of a real threat of war. The share of optimists has increased from 60-61% in 2000-2005 up to 67% in February 2007 and to 74% in February 2008. Residents of South and Far East federal districts are the ones most optimistically disposed (85% and 80% respectively). 17% of Russians are not at all sure of the fact; the share of sceptics is at its highest in Central and Northwest federal districts (21-23%). Over a half of respondents 54% on the whole agree with cancelling of a greater part of delays in the military service paired with a simultaneous reduction in the length of service (29% oppose this opinion). Respondents approving of V. Putin's political activity as president of our country are more likely to agree with the innovation (58% versus 27%); whereas respondents who do not approve of the head of state’s work (they only account for 10%) are more likely not to favour the change (39% for it, 47% against it). Half of respondents speak in favour of preserving the universal military service and the military service obligation (51%); a little more than one third of respondents adhere to army recruitment only based on contract (39%). The opinion of our society on this issue is varied and subject to change: preference was given to contract in 1998 (55% versus 35%), in 2005 draft was preferred (52% versus 39%), the opinions split into two equal halves in 2006-2007. The youth of 18-24 years are more likely to propose contract service (55% versus 37%), the points of view of in the 25-44 age group are split approximately into halves; respondents of 45 years old and older are more likely to favour the draft principle, this is especially true for respondents of 60 years of age and older (61% versus 25 %). The arguments that the respondents favouring the draft variant provide stay mostly unchanged. They most often indicate that all men should have military preparation (in 70% of the cases); that the military service is a school of life (41%), there are also references to tradition (20%), to thus providing the necessary quantity of armed forces (16%), that due to the military service young man can evade unemployment, idleness and crime (15%). Respondents are primarily concerned with the draft and cancelling delays in the military service because they care about the country’s defensive capacity (22% of the cases, this reason was mentioned less often in 2006 and only accounted for 13% of the cases), they also mention the state of affairs in the army (16%). These issues also evoke the citizens’ interest due to personal motives (however, to the personal reasons are now referred to less often): the respondent himself can be drafted to military service (5%), or his/her son or grandson (20%, this index used to equal 29% two years ago), or his friends or acquaintances could be (12%, used to total 17%). There are also those who do not care at all about this type of issues: 20% (this share used to be less numerous and total 16%). This indifference is especially characteristic of respondents with high estimation of own financial standing (25%). Among respondents who relate themselves to the groups with low or average estimation of own financial standing, there are more of those who worry about the fact that their son or grandson may be drafted (20-22% versus 16% in the group of respondents well provided for), and there are fewer respondents who worry about their acquaintances or friends (8-12% and 21 %).The initiative all-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on February 16-17, 2008. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%