This survey took place between 18 and 21 December 2015 / 22 and 25 January 2016 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 137 localities of 48 of the country’s regions. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. 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%.
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT IS THE GREATEST THREAT TO RUSSIA TODAY? (multiple answers)
| Feb.08 | Jan.09 | Jan.10 | Jan.11 | Jan.12 | Mar.13 | Jan.14 | Jan.16 | |
| Rising prices, impoverishment of the population | 51 | 55 | 47 | 62 | 58 | 55 | 49 | 53 |
| Economic crisis | 22 | 59 | 39 | 30 | 38 | 26 | 29 | 49 |
| Growth of unemployment | 30 | 56 | 43 | 42 | 40 | 30 | 31 | 35 |
| Being pulled into conflicts outside the country | 14 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 27 |
| Growing uncertainty of the future | -* | 22 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 12 | 16 |
| Increased tension with western countries | 12 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 15 |
| Weakness, incompetence of the country’s leadership | 14 | 7 | 15 | 14 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 14 |
| Rise in crime | 32 | 23 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 27 | 21 | 13 |
| Increased dependence on the West, Russia turning into a third-rate power | 15 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
| Conflict with neighboring countries/CIS states | 8 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 10 |
| Breakup of Russia into separate regions | 18 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 12 | 10 |
| Abuse of power by Russian authorities | 20 | 8 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 12 | 8 |
| Civil war | – | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 8 |
| Colonization of Russia, plundering of its national wealth by foreigners | 17 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 8 |
| Long lines, shortages of food, rationing | -* | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| Redistribution of wealth, taking away honest earnings | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| New war/exacerbation of the situation with the Caucasus | 9 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 3 |
| Mass repressions, persecution of dissidents | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Restriction of freedoms (freedom of speech, right to leave the country) | 2 | <1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Threat to private property, infringing on private business | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Establishment of a dictatorship | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Other | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| It is difficult to say | 10 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
WHAT, FOR YOU PERSONALLY, IS MOST PROBLEMATIC AND DANGEROUS ABOUT THE PRESENT SITUATION? (one answer)
| Jan.15 | Jan.16 | |
| Rising prices | 41 | 34 |
| Decreased quality of living, impossibility of sustaining the quality of life of the past few years | 16 | 15 |
| Loss of work/possibility of loss of work for you or your family members | 8 | 14 |
| Devaluation of money, falling ruble exchange rate | 15 | 14 |
| Decreased income for your family | 6 | 10 |
| Decrease in production, economic collapse in the country | 5 | 5 |
| Political instability, unclear future | 6 | 4 |
| Other | 1 | 1 |
| It is difficult to say | 2 | 3 |
DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE THAT RUSSIA IS EXPERIENCING AN ECONOMIC CRISIS?*
| Dec.14 | Mar.15 | Sept.15 | Dec.15 | |
| Definitely agree | 38 | 28 | 38 | 43 |
| Probably agree | 41 | 46 | 39 | 39 |
| Probably disagree | 10 | 15 | 14 | 10 |
| Definitely disagree | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| It is difficult to say | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
* In December, 2014 and March, 2015 this question was given in the following form: “DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE THAT RUSSIA IS FALLING INTO AN ECONOMIC CRISIS?”
HOW LONG, IN YOUR OPINION, WILL THIS CRISIS LAST? (as a percentage of those respondents who believe Russia is experiencing an economic crisis; one answer)
| Dec.14 | Mar.15 | Sept.15 | Dec.15 | |
| 2-3 months | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Half a year | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| A year or a year and a half | 19 | 19 | 23 | 18 |
| No less than two years | 21 | 22 | 24 | 23 |
| This crisis will be protracted, and its effects will be felt for many years | 16 | 17 | 23 | 21 |
| It is difficult to say at this moment how long the crisis will last and how serious it will be | 21 | 24 | 16 | 22 |
| It is difficult to say | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 |
DOES YOUR FAMILY BUY “EMERGENCY” PRODUCTS, AND IF SO, HAVE YOU MADE FEWER OR MORE SUCH PURCHASES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS?
| Nov.07 | Sept.10 | Mar.14 | Mar.15 | Sept.15 | Dec.15 | |
| More than usual | 6 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 8 |
| Fewer than usual | 8 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Neither more nor fewer | 39 | 40 | 50 | 34 | 40 | 41 |
| Our family does not buy “emergency” products | 44 | 35 | 28 | 36 | 36 | 37 |
| It is difficult to say | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
HAS YOUR FAMILY’S EVERYDAY CONSUMPTION (FOOD, ESSENTIAL CONSUMER GOODS, MEDICINES, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, ETC) CHANGED IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, AND IF SO, HOW EXACTLY?*
| Aug.09 | Sept.10 | Sept.15 | Dec.15 | |
| Improved significantly | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Improved somewhat | 6 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| No change | 58 | 59 | 51 | 44 |
| Worsened somewhat | 27 | 24 | 35 | 40 |
| Worsened significantly | 7 | 5 | 7 | 9 |
| It is difficult to say | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
* In August, 2009 and September, 2010 this question was given in the following form: “HAS YOUR FAMILY’S EVERYDAY CONSUMPTION (FOOD, ESSENTIAL CONSUMER GOODS, MEDICINES, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, ETC) CHANGED IN THE PAST 2-3 MONTHS, AND IF SO, HOW EXACTLY?”
IN YOUR OPINION, HAS THE SELECTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES IN YOUR PLACE OF RESIDENCE INCREASED, STAYED THE SAME, OR DECREASED IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS?
| Jan.09 | Sept.10 | Jan.15 | Sept.15 | Dec.15 | |
| Increased | 13 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 7 |
| Stayed the same | 72 | 74 | 70 | 67 | 67 |
| Decreased | 11 | 12 | 21 | 23 | 22 |
| It is difficult to say | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
DO YOU AGREE WITH THE OPINION THAT PRICES IN RUSSIA ARE RISING SHARPLY, THE STANDARD OF LIVING IS DECREASING, AND THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMIC SITUATION IS WORSENING?
| Dec.15 | |
| Definitely agree | 36 |
| Probably agree | 39 |
| Probably disagree | 13 |
| Definitely disagree | 3 |
| It is difficult to say | 10 |
WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, HAS MOST OF ALL CAUSED PRICES IN RUSSIA TO RISE, THE STANDARD OF LIVING TO DECREASE, AND THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMIC SITUATION TO WORSEN? (as a percentage of those respondents who believe that prices in Russia are rising, etc.; multiple answers)
| Dec.15 | |
| The fall in oil prices | 47 |
| Governmental corruption | 33 |
| Peculiarities of the Russian economy: an overly large public sector, ineffective state-bureaucratic business management, state influence on the economy | 29 |
| Western sanctions | 27 |
| Increased spending on defense and maintenance of the government bureaucracy to the detriment of social spending (health care, education, science, support of the disadvantaged) | 26 |
| Huge expenses related to the integration of Crimea, support of Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics | 25 |
| Peculiarities of the Russian economy: technological backwardness, remnants of the Soviet industrial sector, military-industrial priority | 25 |
| Russian policies vis-a-vis Crimea and Ukraine | 20 |
| Russia’s retaliatory sanctions (ban on western-imported foodstuffs) | 14 |
| Other | 2 |
| It is difficult to say | 3 |
OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR EVERY FAMILY BUYS MANY GOODS AND SERVICES, AND THE PRICES OF THESE GOODS AND SERVICES CHANGE DIFFERENTLY. NONETHELESS, BY WHAT PERCENT, ON AVERAGE, HAVE THE PRICES OF THE GOODS AND SERVICES YOUR FAMILY BUYS RISEN IN JANUARY OF 2016 AS COMPARED TO THEIR PRICES IN JANUARY OF 2015?
| Jan.15 | Nov.15 | Jan.16 | |
| Up to 15% | 9 | 7 | 9 |
| 15% – 50% | 54 | 63** | 59** |
| 50% – 100% | 23 | 19 | 21 |
| More than 100% | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| It is difficult to say | 12 | 6 | 8 |
In January, 2015 this question was given in the following formula: “BY WHAT PERCENT, ON AVERAGE, HAVE THE PRICES OF GOODS AND SERVICES YOUR FAMILY BUYS RISEN IN JANUARY OF 2015 AS COMPARED TO THEIR PRICES IN JANUARY OF 2014?”. In November, 2015: “…IN NOVEMBER OF 2015 AS COMPARED TO THEIR PRICES IN OCTOBER OF 2014?”
** Total of «15%-30% and «30%-50%» positions.
SPEAKING OF YOUR FAMILY, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AND THOSE OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS? WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS IS CLOSEST TO YOUR OWN GOALS?
| Jan.01 | Apr.04 | Mar.10 | Jan.16 | |
| Survive, if only on the most basic level | 21 | 18 | 23 | 14 |
| Live no worse than most other families in your city, region | 46 | 50 | 55 | 58 |
| Live better than most other families in your city, region | 19 | 21 | 15 | 20 |
| Live like the average Western European or American family | 11 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Live better than the average Western European or American family | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).