MOSCOW - Twenty-six percent of Russians say their home country is one of the world's top three leaders, 11% say Russia ranks the world's fourth or fifth and 18% believe that Russia must be at least in the top ten group, the Romir Research Holding told Interfax on Wednesday.
Romir polled 1,500 residents ages 18 to 60 in towns with populations larger than 100,000 in eight federal districts in mid-October.
Forty-five percent argue that Russia is not a top ten member, and 10% say it is not even in the top hundred.
Only 12% of the respondents believe that Russia tops the world list of states. The opinion is mostly expressed by women, respondents ages 18 to 24, workers and office staff, and people with low or medium incomes.
The highest share of the respondents who think low of the Russian international influence is in the male group ages 35 to 44, with higher education and a high social status.
On the average, the respondents ranked Russia as the world’s 26th state, Romir said.
The opinions differed by region: residents of the Southern Federal District attributed the highest world position to Russia (21st); residents of the Volga and Far Eastern Federal Districts were less patriotic (23rd and 24th position correspondingly); and the most pessimistic opinions were expressed in the Central Federal District (30th position).
At the same time, the majority of respondents (30%-40%) said that Russia had things to be proud of, such as national traditions, human capital and achievements in space exploration, military hardware, science and sports.
Only 4%-8% of respondents are proud of successes in the economy, the development of a free society and democracy.
Eighteen percent say Russia has nothing to be proud of.
