The survey took place between 13 and 16 November 2015 and was conducted throughout all of Russia in both urban and rural settings. The survey was carried out among 1600 people over the age of 18 in 134 localities of 46 of the country’s regions. The answer distribution is presented as percentages of the number of participants along with data from previous surveys. The statistical error of these studies does not exceed 3.4%.
A significant portion of the respondents was questioned until news came out about the terrorist attacks in Paris, and before the Federal Security Bureau confirmed the story that the terrorist attacks were the cause of the plane crash in Egypt!
Events in Syria: Attitudes Toward & Evaluation
HAVE YOU BEEN FOLLOWING THE CURRENT EVENTS IN SYRIA, AND IF SO, HOW ATTENTIVELY?
|
|
June 13 |
Sept. 13 |
Sept. 15 |
Oct. 15 |
Nov. 15 |
|
I attentively follow the current events in Syria |
8 |
16 |
15 |
23 |
25 |
|
I know a bit about the current events in Syria, but I don’t follow them attentively |
52 |
57 |
54 |
64 |
64 |
|
I know nothing about the current events in Syria |
39 |
27 |
30 |
11 |
12 |
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT’S GOALS IN PARTICIPATING IN THE SYRIAN CONFLICT? (multiple answers given)
|
|
Oct. 15 |
Nov. 15 |
|
Attempting to neutralize and eliminate the threat of military attacks by Islamic radicals or terrorists from transferring into Russia |
47 |
49 |
|
Protecting the regime of Bashar Assad in order to prevent a chain reaction of “color revolutions” that were provoked by the US around the world |
29 |
24 |
|
Advocating for Russian companies’ economic interests in the Middle East |
18 |
16 |
|
Supporting the regime of Bashar Assad and his fight against the opposition, because the Russian government itself fears mass anti-government protests |
15 |
11 |
|
Attempting to break up the Western coalition in order to diminish the threat of Russia being completely isolated and facing stricter sanctions |
13 |
8 |
|
Attempting to distract the Russian population from the economic crisis, the inability of the Russian government to deal with problems of declining quality of life, corruption, and the incompetency of the authorities |
7 |
5 |
|
I don’t understand why Russia is involved in this conflict |
17 |
15 |
|
It is difficult to say |
8 |
8 |
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT RUSSIA’S USE OF AIR STRIKES IN SYRIA?
|
|
Nov. 15 |
|
Entirely positively |
21 |
|
Somewhat positively |
34 |
|
Somewhat negatively |
19 |
|
Entirely negatively |
8 |
|
It is difficult to say |
19 |
IN YOUR OPINION, SHOULD RUSSIA PROVIDE DIRECT MILITARY SUPPORT TO SYRIA IN THE FORM OF AIR STRIKES?
|
|
Oct. 15 |
|
Definitely yes |
21 |
|
Probably yes |
33 |
|
Probably no |
14 |
|
Definitely no |
17 |
|
It is difficult to say |
15 |
The Threat of ISIS* Terrorist Attacks
IN YOUR OPINION, ARE MAJOR CLASHES BETWEEN RUSSIAN FORCES AND THE “ISLAMIC STATE” (ISIS) POSSIBLE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS? (N=800)
|
|
Yes |
No |
It is difficult to say |
|
Outside of Russia |
59 |
22 |
19 |
|
In Russian territory |
33 |
46 |
21 |
IN YOUR OPINION, IS A MAJOR TERRORIST ATTACK BY THE “ISLAMIC STATE” (ISIS) POSSIBLE IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS IN… (N=800)
|
|
Russia |
USA |
European Union |
|
Definitely yes |
18 |
17 |
27 |
|
Probably yes |
47 |
45 |
49 |
|
Probably no |
18 |
23 |
10 |
|
Definitely no |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
It is difficult to say |
15 |
14 |
12 |
*The Islamic State is a terrorist organization that Is banned from Russian territory.
A significant portion of the respondents were questioned before news came out about the terrorist attacks in Paris and before the Federal Security Bureau confirmed the story that the terrorist attacks were the cause of the plane crash in Egypt.
The Plane Crash in Egypt
WHICH EVENTS FROM THE LAST FOUR WEEKS DO YOU REMEMBER MOST OF ALL? (events were not read to respondents; respondents named events which they remembered themselves; the 10 most commonly remembered events, receiving >10%)
|
|
Nov. 15 |
|
Plane crash in Egypt of the Russian airline “Kogalymavia”; mourning for the victims of the catastrophe |
72 |
|
The flood of Syrian refugees into Europe |
28 |
|
Restriction of all flight connections with Egypt; the evacuation of Russian tourists from Egypt |
28 |
|
Russian bombings in Syria |
28 |
|
The terrorist attacks in Paris |
22 |
|
The doping scandal/accusations of concealing positive doping tests of Russian athletes/recommendation to ban Russian athletes from the 2016 Olympics |
21 |
|
Increase in value of the dollar and euro |
18 |
|
Historical parade in Red Square (Moscow) in honor of the military parade on November 7, 1941 |
12 |
|
The situation in Eastern Ukraine/the Donbass |
12 |
|
Russian airline Transaero’s problems |
11 |
A significant portion of the respondents was questioned before news came out about the terrorist attacks in Paris and before the Federal Security Bureau confirmed the story that the terrorist attacks were the cause of the plane crash in Egypt.
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE PLANE CRASH ON OCTOBER 31 OF A RUSSIAN PLANE IN EGYPT AND THE DEATH OF ALL 224 PASSENGERS ON BOARD?
|
|
Nov. 15 |
|
I have been actively following the development of this story |
47 |
|
I have heard about it |
47 |
|
I have heard something about it but do not know the essense |
5 |
|
This is the first I have heard about it |
1 |
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PLANE CRASH IN EGYPT? (in % of respondents who have heard about the plane crash in Egypt)
|
|
Nov. 15 |
|
A terrorist attack on board the plane |
57 |
|
Technical problems (deterioration/bad servicing and repair of the plane, bad fuel, etc.) |
20 |
|
Pilot error |
5 |
|
It is difficult to say |
19 |
A significant portion of the respondents was questioned before news came out about the terrorist attacks in Paris and before the Federal Security Bureau confirmed the story that the terrorist attacks were the cause of the plane crash in Egypt.
IN YOUR OPINION, WHO IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLANE CRASH? (in % of respondents who have heard about the plane crash in Egypt; one answer)
|
|
Nov. 15 |
|
Airport security services who did not prevent the terrorist attack |
18 |
|
The Egyptian special services who did not prevent the terrorist attack |
17 |
|
Terrorists from ISIS or other related terrorist organizations |
16 |
|
Kogalymavia Airlines for using this plane |
14 |
|
Government services who allowed the plane to take off |
9 |
|
The Russian government for beginning air strikes in Syria and pulling Russia into the war against ISIS |
5 |
|
The Russian special services who did not prevent the terrorist attack |
5 |
|
Other |
1 |
|
It is difficult to say |
16 |
IN YOUR OPINION, WERE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES RIGHT IN SHUTTING DOWN ANY FLIGHTS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND EGYPT AFTER THE PLANE CRASH? (in % of respondents who have heard about the plane crash in Egypt)
|
|
Nov. 15 |
|
Definitely yes |
41 |
|
Probably yes |
36 |
|
It’s not necessary |
10 |
|
There was no need to do that |
5 |
|
It is difficult to say |
8 |
IN YOUR OPINION, SHOULD VLADIMIR PUTIN HAVE MADE A PUBLIC SPEECH IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PLANE CRASH TO OFFER HIS CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS? (in % of respondents who have heard about the plane crash in Egypt)
|
|
Nov. 15 |
|
Definitely yes |
37 |
|
Probably yes |
36 |
|
It’s not necessary |
10 |
|
There was no need to do that |
4 |
|
It is difficult to say |
12 |
IN YOUR OPINION, WHY DID VLADIMIR PUTIN NOT MAKE ANY PUBLIC SPEECHES ABOUT THE PLANE CRASH IN EGYPT FOR TWO DAYS AFTER IT OCCURRED? (in % of respondents who have heard about the plane crash in Egypt)
|
|
Nov. 15 |
|
He did not have complete information about what had happened |
40 |
|
He did not want to admit the possibility that it was a terrorist attack organized by ISIS in response to Russian air strikes in Syria |
22 |
|
He was occupied with other government affairs |
11 |
|
He made a speech only after close media attention on the catastrophe |
8 |
|
It is difficult to say |
19 |
IN YOUR OPINION, WHY IS THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TRYING TO MOVE AWAY FROM DISCUSSING THE POTENTIAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PLANE CRASH AND RUSSIAN AIR STRIKES IN SYRIA? (in % of respondents who have heard about the plane crash in Egypt)
|
|
Nov. 15 |
|
Vladimir Putin wants to wait for the findings of an objective investigation and avoid political speculations |
62 |
|
The authorities fear that it may affect the level of support for Putin and his decision to begin air strikes in Syria |
22 |
|
It is difficult to say |
17 |
Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).