According to a survey, many Russians see their nation extra as a sufferer than an aggressor and hope that Donald Trump will finish the warfare. They see China and North Korea, amongst others, as pleasant international locations.
Many individuals in Russia see themselves surrounded by overseas enemies whereas viewing their very own nation as a sufferer, in keeping with a survey. This is a consequence of incessant anti-Western propaganda, mentioned Russian sociologist Lev Gudkov from the impartial Levada Center Moscow in Berlin.
On behalf of the German Sakharov Society, an institute categorized as a overseas agent in Russia examined how Russians view the world after 4 years of warfare in Ukraine. In the greater than 30 years because the finish of the Soviet Union, Russia has solely gone to warfare for six years, Gudkov mentioned. He spoke of a “militarization of consciousness.”
Among the greater than 1,600 respondents, 62 p.c noticed Poland and Lithuania as hostile international locations, adopted by Great Britain (57 p.c), Germany (50 p.c), Sweden (40 p.c). The USA was predominantly categorized as a competitor (53 p.c). When requested about 5 pleasant international locations, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, India and North Korea have been talked about most ceaselessly – apart from India, repressive to dictatorial states.
The picture of the USA amongst Russians has modified a number of occasions, positively or negatively, over the previous a long time. Things have been unhealthy below President Joe Biden due to assist for Ukraine. And issues improved with the inauguration of Donald Trump, who promised a fast finish to the warfare.
“War imposed by the West”
“People are tired of the war,” Gudkov mentioned. The hopes have been transferred to Trump as a result of it was clear that Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin wouldn’t finish the warfare and that nothing might be executed about it. But the eager for peace doesn’t imply a willingness to compromise: “The Russians are convinced that Ukraine will give up and capitulate.”
The Russians see the warfare as being imposed by the West. Russia has by no means been an aggressor or initiator of conflicts with different international locations – in 1998, 36 p.c of Russians agreed with this assertion. By 2024, when the invasion of Ukraine had already lasted two years, this proportion had grown to 65 p.c.
dpa/jra
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