| These polls paint a somewhat different picture. I'm not claiming that they're more accurate than yours. Just that it's difficult to understand the situation as an outsider. Sample size is at least 1600 people and was done by the independent Levada Center. > Who do you think initiated the aggravation of the situation in eastern Ukraine?: 50%: U.S., NATO countries > In the event of an outbreak of hostilities in eastern Ukraine, should Russia engage in armed conflict on the side of the DPR/LPR? (percent of respondents) Exactly split down the middle, 14% said it's difficult to answer. > How, in your opinion, would the attitudes of Russians change toward Vladimir Putin in the event of a full-scale war with Ukraine? (percent of respondents) 8% net bias towards thinking that it would make him less popular. > Do you think Russia needs to improve relations with the U.S. and other Western countries? (one response allowed) Overwhelming yes (79%) source: https://www.russiamatters.org/analysis/5-polls-contextualize... |
> 50%: U.S., NATO countries
What would have been somewhat encouraging would have been if the other 50% were like 45-49% "Russia" and 1-4% "Undecided" or "Other". Turns out, though, that:
> 16% think that Ukraine was the initiator. Meanwhile, only 4% named Russia
So, either they are pretty much deluded nationalists, or Putin's state-media brainwashing has been overwhelmingly successful.
(Any particular reason you left that bit out of your comment?)