Page 38 - RusRPTFeb19

respondents are proud of the country's leading role in space exploration, while 45% named the return of the Crimea as the modern event in which they have the most pride. Stabilization of the country's position under the current president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, causes a sense of pride in 18%, slightly more than those who named the struggle of Russia against the Tatar-Mongol invasion 16%. For the “eternal poverty and insecurity” of Russia, a sense of shame is experienced by 61% (in 2015 - 56%) of the respondents. Similar feelings towards the collapse of the USSR were expressed by 45% (28%). Another 37% (31%) of respondents are ashamed of rude manners, rudeness, and disrespect for each other, and 9% were ashamed of Putin’s coming to power (against 1% three years earlier).
Two out of three Russians (66%) regret the fall of the Soviet Union, the highest level in the last decade, according to a new poll from independent pollster the Levada Center, Vedomosti reported on December 19. Previously in 2017 a still hefty 58% of Russians regretted the fall of the USSR, and in the preceding decade the number did not rise above 61%. The highest level ever recorded was in 2000 when three quarters of Russians (75%) said the collapse of the Soviet Union was a bad thing. Some 60% of respondents believe that the collapse could have been avoided, which is also at a 13 year high. The majority are nostalgic for the USSR especially amongst people over 55 years old, although in the past two years these sentiments have grown among young people aged 18-24 as well. The main reasons Russians give for their regret is the collapse of a single economic system (52%), the loss of a sense of belonging to a great power (36%) and the growth of mutual distrust and bitterness (31%). Levada Center’s Karina Pipia say the recent pension reform has become a trigger for the growth of such sentiments: “People always explain their nostalgia for the USSR mainly with irrational ideas about the strong economy and prosperity of those times, forgetting about the deficit and the cards, especially against the background growing concerns about current welfare issues. ”
Nearly half of Russia’s citizens remain optimistic at the end of 2018, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center said on Wednesday.
"On the whole, Russians are in an upbeat mood when saying goodbye to 2018. On the eve of 2019, 49% of those polled feel excited and are hoping for changes for the better, while 27% feel calm and self-confident," the report said.
Although 57% assessed the outgoing year as either "good" or "successful" for themselves and their families, 40% admitted that complications largely dogged their lives or that the year happened to be difficult. In 2018, the number of respondents who noted feeling fatigued rose from 8% to 19%, while those who reported anxiety grew from 10% to 15%. That said, those who reported being sad surged from 4% to 10%, and those who were disappointed went up from 3% to 10%.
At least 21% believe that the year 2019 will be prosperous for them personally, while 13% expect good luck for the country.
The survey showed that Russians plan to cut back their spending on New Year’s celebrations by 4%, which dovetails the government’s target of 4% for 2018. The respondents estimate that their average spending could total 13,700 rubles (nearly $198) compared to 14,300 rubles ($206) last year.
The overwhelming majority (or 87%) will spend 5,000 rubles ($72) on gifts
38 RUSSIA Country Report February 2019 www.intellinews.com