The number of Ukrainians who think that Ukraine and Russia should be united into one state is 19%, while in Russia 14% support such an idea, according to the results of a sociological poll conducted by Kyiv International Institute of Sociology in Ukraine and Russian Levada-Center posted on the Web site of the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia (Mirror Weekly) newspaper on March 23.
Compared to 2010 the number of those supporting unification of the countries in Ukraine increased from 16% to 19%, and in Russia this number grew from 13% to 14%. At the same time, the number of supporters of this idea in Ukraine over two years has remained at the level of approximately 20%, while in Russia about 15% supported the idea during this period.
According to the poll, against 2010 the number of Ukrainians wishing to have friendly relations with Russia without borders and customs dropped from 70% to 67%. In Russia this number remained unchanged at 12%.
At the same time, the number of Russians supporting the idea of having closed borders, customs and visas with Ukraine grew from 17% to 19% from 2010, in addition, the number of those wishing to have independent and friendly relations with Ukraine without borders and customs dropped from 64% to 61%.
The Ukrainian national poll was carried out on February 9-18, 2011. Some 2,040 residents of various regions of Ukraine (including Kyiv) and in Crimea aged over 18 years old were polled. The poll’s margin or error amounts to 2.3% for figures close to 50%, 2% for figures close to 25%, 1.4% for figures close to 10%, and 1% for figures close to 5%.
In Russia, the Levada-Center carried out the poll on January 21-24, 2011. Some 1,600 respondents aged over 18 years old from 127 residential areas participated in the poll. The poll’s margin of error does not exceed 3.4% (net of design effect).
