© Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexander Vilf
Russia's international authority keeps growing and an increasing number of citizens say the country should regain the status of a superpower lost in the breakup of the former Soviet Union, sociologists said.
An overwhelming majority (82%) of 1,600 respondents polled in 134 populated areas in 42 regions pointed out the big influence enjoyed by Russia on the international arena, the Russian Public Opinion Study Center (VTsIOM) told Interfax on Thursday. The percentage has nearly doubled over the past six years (from 58% in 2008). A quarter (25%) of the respondents said Russia held a weighty role in global affairs. The opinion was mostly expressed by elderly citizens (28%). Over a half of the respondents (57%) said the Russian influence was relative big, 11% called it insignificant and 3% said Russia did not play a decisive role in the world at all. The number of skeptics has not changed since 2006. Meanwhile, the number of respondents wishing that Russia were a superpower just like the former Soviet Union has grown from 33% to 2010 to 42% now. Elderly citizens (52%), people with primary education (53%) and Communist Party supporters (59%) are most nostalgic about the USSR. Some 41% of the respondents wish Russia were a member of the top ten economically developed and politically influential nations of the 21st century. The goal is primarily set by respondents with higher education (45%). 10 percent of the respondents set Russia's leadership in the post-Soviet space as a priority of global relations. Only 4% said Russia should not seek any global goals. Their number has more than halved, from 9% in 2010. Source: Article, Image
