The Analytical Center of Yuri Levada conducted a survey among 1.6 thousand Russians in 127 settlements of 44 regions of the country in October 2010. Despite the fact that the overwhelming number of respondents (74%) support the rapprochement of Belarus and Russia, a survey found that 48% of Russians were negative to the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
As it became known to Telegraf, the most negative mood is among the citizens of Moscow: 78% of the capital of Russia are against Alexander Lukashenko. More loyal residents are in other cities of Russia, only 34% of people are in solidarity with the citizens of Moscow in this matter. A positive attitude to the Belarusian leader was expressed by 33% of the total number of respondents.
Talking about the question of relations between the two countries, most respondents answered that, Belarus and Russia had moved away from each other (60%) fot recent 10 years. This is more than in 2009 and 1998: 35% and 46% respectively. Such changes in estimates of people may be associated with periods of cooling and warming in relations between the two countries and the way it was reflected by the leading TV channels, the center of Yuri Levada explained.
Referring the existence of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, in September 2009 33% of Russians said that there wasn’t such a state, and the project was only a political declaration. 39% of respondents felt that the countries were at the stage of its construction, while 9% accepted the existence of such a union.
As to the nature of relations within the Union State, 39% of respondents said the country should remain sovereign and independent, creating a kind of soft confederation. 22% of people were in favor of a single full-fledged state, 14% felt that Belarus could become part of Russia as just another subject, 13% offered to develop good neighborly relations, having called such neoformations inappropriate.
According to the survey of October 2010, 64% of the population believes that Russia should solve problems with other countries through negotiations without resorting to force. 28% responded that it should show its power from time to time.
