Russians’ attitudes toward the United States have deteriorated dramatically since the start of the war in Ukraine, according to a new study by the independent Russian sociologist Levada Center.
The survey shows that 72% of Russians now have a negative view of the United States, up from 55% in February. Meanwhile, 17% say they have a positive opinion, according to a poll published on April 15th, based on the responses of 1,632 respondents surveyed across the country in late March.
The survey also shows that attitudes towards the European Union have deteriorated, while Russians’ perceptions of China, Moscow’s ally, have improved significantly over the past six months, with 83% of Russians now having a positive view of the country.
The war in Ukraine has boosted the popularity of President Vladimir Putin, according to Levada, Russia’s most trusted sociologist. A recent poll found that Putin’s approval rose to 83% in March from 71% in February.
Russian state television portrayed the war in Ukraine as a “special military operation” to protect Russian-speakers in the country from nationalists backed by the United States and the European Union, pushing the narrative that the real opposition in Ukraine is between Moscow and the West.
State television remains the main source of news for the majority of Russians, with the independent media largely largely silenced in recent weeks following the adoption of strict censorship laws. His audience also distorts the old one. The results of the survey seem to reflect its impact: of those respondents over the age of 55, 82% say they view the United States negatively, 20 percentage points higher than the 25-39 age group.
Russia’s results reflect a Pew poll that shows such a dramatic change in the way American citizens view their Russian counterparts. A Pew Research Center poll released on April 6 found that 70 percent of Americans now consider Russia an enemy of the United States, up from 41 percent in January. The view seems to cross guerrilla borders, with 72% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans supporting it.
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