Vox Pop: Does Russia have friends or enemies?

Nov 28 2013

Pavel Gazdyuk

Vladimir Stakheev

RBTH

According to a survey that polled 1,600 people from 45 regions of Russia, 78% of respondents think that Russia has enemies. RBTH’s correspondent went out on the streets of Moscow to ask people who these enemies are and if Russia has any friends.

The Levada Center’s data shows that the number of respondents who answered the question “Does Russia have enemies?” affirmatively reached its highest level in recent times: 78% (only 13% of those surveyed think that Russia doesn’t have enemies and 10% were undecided). Sociologists recorded a similar result 10 years ago when NATO forces invaded Iraq and Georgia underwent the Rose Revolution.

Sociologists are certain the result in 2013 can be explained by active propaganda that “constantly” talks about “enemies within who are agents of external enemies.”

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