The situation with Ukraine is negatively impacting Russia's relations with Western countries, but most Russians polled by Levada Center are not worried out it and do not see a need to become closer with the West now. The poll was conducted in 130 populated areas of 45 regions of Russia on 25-28. It surveys 1,602 people. The statistical margin of error does not exceed 3.4%. The poll shows that 41% of the respondents believe that Russia needs to strengthen its relations with the West now. This figure is the lowest since September 1998, when it was 46%. Thirty-nine percent of the respondents believe Russia should distance itself from the West, and 21% were undecided.
Speaking about Russia’s future foreign policy, 48% of the respondents believe the Russian administration should keep a large distance in its relations with the U.S., 14% believe there is a need to become closer with the U.S., 26% believe the relations should stay as they are, and 12% were undecided.
The poll also showed that a majority of the respondents (55%) are not concerned about the possible isolation of Russia over its stance on Ukraine. This figure rose in the past month (it reached 39% in early March an d 49% in late March).
Forty-two percent of the respondents are alarmed by this situation (against 56% in early March and 33% in late March). Three percent of the respondents were undecided.
The political and economic sanctions imposed by the Western countries on Russia concern 42% of the respondents, 56% said they are not concerned about the sanctions, and 3% were undecided.
The poll shows 34% of the respondents are worried about the possibility of obstacles to entering Western countries, while 63% are not worried about it. Three percent of the respondents are undecided.
Sixty-one percent of the respondents said they are not concerned about the possibility that the supply of goods and food from the West may stop, 36% said they are concerned about it, and 3% were undecided.
Forty-five percent of the respondents said they are concerned about the possibility of severance of diplomatic relations between Russia and Ukraine, 52% are not concerned about it, and 4% were undecided.
The poll also shows that most Russians (94%) learn about events in Ukraine and Crimea from television, 21% learn about them from friends and relatives, 16% get this information from the Internet, 12% get it from the radio, 9% get it from social networking sites, an d another 9% get it from newspapers.
Seventy percent of the respondents said the Russian federal media report on the events in Ukraine and Crimea objectively (against 63% in March). Twenty percent of the respondents disagree with that and 10% were undecided. Only 14% of the respondents said they believe the foreign media are objective, 66% said they believe the Western press is biased on these matters, and 21% are undecided.
