This survey took place between March 7-12, 2018 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 136 localities of 52 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 for a selection of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:
3.4% for indicators around 50%
2.9% for indicators around 25%/75%
2.0% for indicators around 10%/90%
1.5% for indicators around 5%/95%.
THIS YEAR IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EVENTS IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA IN 1968, ALSO CALLED THE “PRAGUE SPRING.” ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE EVENTS IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA? (one answer)
| Feb. 08 | Apr. 13 | Mar. 18 | |
| Yes, I am very familiar | 10 | 7 | 11 |
| I have heard or read about it | 18 | 20 | 21 |
| I have heard something, but I don’t say for certain | 19 | 23 | 22 |
| I don’t know anything about it | 55 | 50 | 46 |
WHAT DO YOU THINK OCCURED DURING THE EVENTS IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA? (respondents were presented with a card; as a percentage of those respondents who know about the “Prague Spring”; one answer)
| Feb. 08 | Apr. 13 | Mar. 18 | |
| An attempt by anti-Soviet and revisionist forces in the CSSR leadership to carry out a coup and tear the country away from the socialist camp. | 15 | 27 | 23 |
| Subversive action by Western countries, an attempt to divide the socialist countries | 13 | 16 | 21 |
| An uprising of the people against the regime imposed by the Soviet Union. | 31 | 27 | 18 |
| An attempt at a democratic reform of socialism | 14 | 8 | 10 |
| Spontaneous demonstations by a mass of unaware and disoriented people against the communist authorities of the CSSR | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Other | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| It is difficult to say | 21 | 18 | 23 |
50 YEARS AGO ON THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 21, 1968, SOVIET TROOPS ENTERED CZECHOSLOVAKIA. DO YOU THINK THE SOVIET UNION ACTED CORRECTLY IN BRINGING ITS TROOPS INTO CZECHOSLOVAKIA? (one answer)
| Jul. 03 | Jul. 13 | Mar. 18 | |
| Definitely | 11 | 7 | 10 |
| Probably | 23 | 20 | 26 |
| Probably not | 18 | 18 | 14 |
| Definitely not | 14 | 11 | 5 |
| It is difficult to say | 34 | 44 | 45 |
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING POINTS OF VIEW IS CLOSEST TO YOUR OWN? (respondents were presented with a card; one answer; ranked in descending order according to March 2018)
| Jul. 03 | Jul. 13 | Mar. 18 | |
| It was necessary to maintain order and prevent bloodshed in Czechoslovakia | 14 | 14 | 16 |
| It was necessary, and if it hadn’t been done, Western troops would have entered Czechoslovakia | 13 | 10 | 15 |
| The entry of troops and the arrest of the “highest ranks” of the CPC were necessary to preserve the socialist order in Czechoslovakia | 16 | 9 | 9 |
| This was a criminal aggression against a neighboring country and interference in its internal affairs | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| These events showed that Soviet-style socialism was incompatible with democracy | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| This was a result of conflict among the Czechoslovakian leadership | 5 | 3 | – |
| This was a result of conflict between the leadership of Czechoslovakia and the USSR. | 6 | 3 | – |
| I don’t remember, I know nothing about it | 14 | 23 | 28 |
| It is difficult to say | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).
The ANO Levada Center has been forcibly included in the registry of non-commercial organizations acting as foreign agents. Read the Director of the Levada Center’s statement of disagreement with this decision here.