You're reading: Poll: Obama losing his popularity in Russia

Moscow - An improvement of Russia-U.S. relations that the Russians linked to the U.S. President Barack Obama administration has become less apparent, the Russian Public Opinion Study Center (VTsIOM) said, commenting on a September poll.

Forty-six percent of the respondents said in 2010 that the Obama victory in the presidential election improved the bilateral relations; the indicator declined to 34% in 2011. At present, 49% of the respondent say there is no change in the bilateral relations. The opinion was voiced by 38% of the respondents a year ago.

The number of respondents declaring problems in Russia-U.S. relations has grown from 3% to 9%. Most of the respondents who say the relations have not changed are supporters of the Russian Communist party (55%) and persons aged from 45 through 59 (53%). Positive changes are mostly affirmed by supporters of United Russia (39%) and A Just Russia (38%) and people aged from 18 to 24 (39%).

The number of people who like and respect Obama is down from 29% to 22%. Meanwhile, the number of those who say that the U.S. needs a different president is up, from 6% to 16%. Another 39% said they did not quite like Obama, but respected the choice of the American people. Twenty-three percent of the respondents failed to answer the question.

As for the most pressing problems in the bilateral relations, the respondents mentioned economics (8%), disagreements over missile defense and arms race (5%), ‘America’s aspiration for global domination’ (4%), U.S. military operations in the Middle East (4%), strategic issues (2%), NATO enlargement, the nuclear threat and the conflict with Georgia (1%).

The respondents also declared problems in the preservation of bilateral peace (2%), the development of natural resources (2%), the Russian dependence on the U.S. and the counter terrorism fight (1%).

Sixty percent failed to name any particular problems in Russia-U.S. relations, the Center said.