The survey took place between 13 and 16 March 2015 and was conducted throughout all of Russia in both urban and rural settings. The survey was carried out among 1600 people over the age of 18 in 134 localities of 46 of the country’s regions. The answer distribution is presented as percentages of the number of participants along with data from previous surveys. The statistical error of these studies does not exceed 3.4%.
DO YOU KNOW WHO BORIS NEMTSOV IS? (multiple answers given)
| He is a well-known Russian politician |
50 |
| He was killed between 27 and 28 February in Moscow |
42 |
| He was governor of Nizhny Novgorod oblast |
31 |
| He was one of the leaders of the Russian opposition |
22 |
| He was a deputy of the State Duma of Russia |
16 |
| He was at one time considered the successor of Boris Yeltsin |
14 |
| He was the first Vice Premier of Russia |
12 |
| He supported the Maidan movement in Kiev |
10 |
| He was a deputy of the Yaroslavl oblast Duma |
8 |
| He was one of the organizers of “the Dissent Marches,” “Strategy 31,” and “For Fair Elections” movements |
5 |
| He was one of the founders and a chairman for the political council “Union of Right Forces” |
5 |
| He was one of the organizers of the “Dissent Marches,” actions protesting against military involvement in Ukraine |
5 |
| He was co-chairman for the “RPR Parnassus” party |
3 |
| He was the author of many publications, including “Luzhkov. Results” and “Putin. Results. 10 years” |
2 |
| He was one of the founders of the “Solidarity” movement |
1 |
| Other |
2 |
| I’ve heard about him but can’t remember anything specific |
6 |
| I haven’t heard anything about him |
4 |
DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BORIS NEMTSOV’S PUBLICATIONS (INCLUDING “PUTIN. RESULTS. 10 YEARS” AND “PUTIN: CORRUPTION”)?
| Yes, I have read them |
5 |
| I haven’t read them, but I am familiar with them |
6 |
| I have heard about them, but don’t know what they are |
21 |
| I haven’t heard anything about them |
64 |
| It is difficult to say |
3 |
HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE PUBLICATION BY BORIS NEMTSOV AND VLADIMIR MILOV ENTITLED “PUTIN. RESULTS. 10 YEARS”?
|
July 10 |
Jan. 11 |
Jan. 12 |
|
| I am familiar with this publication |
2 |
4 |
2 |
| I have heard something about it |
10 |
18 |
15 |
| This is the first I have heard of it |
82 |
74 |
79 |
|
It is difficult to say |
6 |
4 |
4 |
AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE PUBLICATION CRITICALLY EVALUATES VLADIMIR PUTIN’S ACTIONS AS PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER OF RUSSIA. IN YOUR OPINION, IS THIS CRITICISM VALID OR NOT?
|
All |
Respondents who were familiar with Boris Nemtsov’s publications |
Respondents who knew nothing of these publications |
|
| Definitely yes |
3 |
8 |
3 |
| Probably yes |
18 |
40 |
16 |
| Probably no |
20 |
26 |
20 |
| Definitely no |
10 |
12 |
10 |
| It is difficult to say |
48 |
14 |
51 |
WHAT WERE YOUR FEELINGS IN REACTION TO THE MURDER OF BORIS NEMTSOV? (one answer)
| Indignation, anger |
8 |
| Sympathy, sorrow |
26 |
| Anxiety, fear |
7 |
| Bewilderment |
17 |
| Satisfaction |
1 |
| No particular feelings |
37 |
| I don’t know about it |
2 |
| It is difficult to say |
3 |
HAVE YOU BEEN FOLLOWING THE INVESTIGATION OF BORIS NEMTSOV’S MURDER?
| Yes, very attentively |
10 |
| Yes, but not very attentively |
32 |
| No, I haven’t been following it, but I have heard a few things |
48 |
| No, I don’t know anything about this |
10 |
IN YOUR OPINION, WERE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES INVOLVED IN THE MURDER OF BORIS NEMTSOV?
| Definitely yes |
5 |
| Probably yes |
10 |
| Probably no |
30 |
| Definitely no |
28 |
| It is difficult to say |
26 |
IN YOUR OPINION, WILL THE PERSON WHO ORDERED BORIS NEMTSOV’S MURDER BE FOUND?
| Definitely yes |
9 |
| Probably yes |
24 |
| Probably no |
28 |
| Definitely no |
16 |
| It is difficult to say |
23 |
IN YOUR OPINION, WILL WE EVER FIND OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MOTIVES AND PERSON WHO ORDERED BORIS NEMTSOV’S MURDER?
|
All |
Respondents who were familiar with Boris Nemtsov’s publications |
Respondents who knew nothing of these publications |
|
| Definitely yes, I trust the professionalism and objectivity of the investigators |
8 |
12 |
8 |
| It is possible that there will be witnesses, but they are unlikely to reveal the names of those who ordered the murder; we are unlikely to ever see the full picture |
27 |
25 |
28 |
| Probably not; innocent scapegoats will be named, but the real culprits will remain hidden |
21 |
23 |
21 |
| Definitely not; not a single political murder in Russia has been fully solved, especially not when they have involved the highest state officials |
27 |
30 |
26 |
| It is difficult to say |
18 |
9 |
17 |
IN YOUR OPINION, WHO IS THE REAL OPPOSITION IN RUSSIA?
| Only parliamentary opposition parties |
11 |
| Only a few non-parliamentary parties and associations |
14 |
| Both |
26 |
| Not these, nor others |
26 |
| It is difficult to say |
23 |
Distribution of answers based on locality of respondents
|
All |
Moscow |
More than 500 thousand |
100 – 500 thousand |
Less than 100 thousand |
Village |
|
| DO YOU KNOW WHO BORIS NEMTSOV IS? (multiple answers given) | ||||||
| He is a well-known Russian politician |
50 |
54 |
53 |
50 |
44 |
51 |
| He was killed between 27 and 28 February in Moscow |
42 |
53 |
34 |
52 |
44 |
37 |
| He was governor of Nizhny Novgorod oblast |
31 |
39 |
30 |
36 |
28 |
30 |
| He was one of the leaders of the Russian opposition |
22 |
43 |
20 |
23 |
17 |
22 |
| He was a deputy of the State Duma of Russia |
16 |
23 |
17 |
17 |
16 |
14 |
| He was at one time considered the successor of Boris Yeltsin |
14 |
26 |
13 |
20 |
10 |
10 |
| He was the first Vice Premier of Russia |
12 |
29 |
11 |
19 |
5 |
10 |
| He supported the Maidan movement in Kiev |
10 |
13 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
15 |
| He was a deputy of the Yaroslavl oblast Duma |
8 |
13 |
12 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
| He was one of the organizers of “the Dissent Marches,” “‘Strategy 31,” and “For Fair Elections” movements |
5 |
13 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
5 |
| He was one of the founders and a chairman for the political council “Union of Right Forces” |
5 |
6 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
5 |
| He was one of the organizers of the ”Dissent Marches,” actions protesting against military involvement in Ukraine |
5 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
| He was co-chairman for the “RPR Parnassus” party |
3 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
| He was the author of many publications, including “Luzhkov. Results” and “Putin. Results. 10 years” |
2 |
7 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
| He was one of the founders of the “Solidarity” movement |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Other |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
| I’ve heard about him but can’t remember anything specific |
6 |
2 |
7 |
3 |
9 |
7 |
| I haven’t heard anything about him |
4 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
3 |
|
DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BORIS NEMTSOV’S PUBLICATIONS (INCLUDING “PUTIN. RESULTS. 10 YEARS” AND “PUTIN: CORRUPTION”)? |
||||||
| Yes, I have read them |
5 |
10 |
3 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
| I haven’t read them, but I am familiar with them |
6 |
9 |
5 |
9 |
5 |
5 |
| I have heard about them, but don’t know what they are |
21 |
24 |
21 |
22 |
18 |
24 |
| I haven’t heard anything about them |
64 |
58 |
70 |
55 |
68 |
64 |
| It is difficult to say |
3 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
6 |
2 |
| IN YOUR OPINION, IS BORIS NEMTSOV’S CRITICISM OF VLADIMIR PUTIN VALID OR NOT? | ||||||
| Definitely yes |
3 |
13 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
| Probably yes |
18 |
33 |
22 |
23 |
15 |
10 |
| Probably no |
20 |
14 |
22 |
22 |
16 |
25 |
| Definitely no |
10 |
8 |
9 |
16 |
10 |
9 |
| It is difficult to say |
48 |
33 |
43 |
38 |
58 |
54 |
| IN YOUR OPINION, WHO IS THE REAL OPPOSITION IN RUSSIA? | ||||||
| Only parliamentary opposition parties |
11 |
12 |
11 |
16 |
9 |
8 |
| Only a few non-parliamentary parties and associations |
14 |
22 |
19 |
15 |
9 |
10 |
| These and others |
26 |
27 |
27 |
31 |
21 |
27 |
| Not these, nor others |
26 |
29 |
22 |
21 |
34 |
25 |
| It is difficult to say |
23 |
11 |
22 |
17 |
28 |
29 |
|
WHAT WERE YOUR FEELINGS IN REACTION TO HEARING ABOUT THE MURDER OF BORIS NEMTSOV? (one answer) |
||||||
| Indignation, anger |
8 |
18 |
6 |
11 |
7 |
3 |
| Sympathy, sorrow |
26 |
38 |
29 |
25 |
20 |
27 |
| Anxiety, fear |
7 |
14 |
6 |
8 |
6 |
4 |
| Bewilderment |
17 |
26 |
21 |
15 |
11 |
16 |
| Satisfaction |
1 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
| No particular feelings |
37 |
5 |
33 |
37 |
44 |
45 |
| I don’t know about it |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
| It is difficult to say |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
4 |
| HAVE YOU BEEN FOLLOWING THE INVESTIGATION OF BORIS NEMTSOV’S MURDER? | ||||||
| Yes, very attentively |
10 |
23 |
10 |
12 |
7 |
8 |
| Yes, but not very attentively |
32 |
36 |
35 |
34 |
33 |
27 |
| No, I haven’t been following it, but I have heard a few things |
47 |
38 |
46 |
45 |
47 |
55 |
| No, I don’t know anything about this |
10 |
3 |
9 |
8 |
14 |
10 |
| IN YOUR OPINION, WERE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES INVOLVED IN THE MURDER OF BORIS NEMTSOV? | ||||||
| Definitely yes |
5 |
13 |
4 |
9 |
5 |
1 |
| Probably yes |
10 |
11 |
6 |
9 |
14 |
12 |
| Probably no |
30 |
19 |
33 |
31 |
33 |
29 |
| Definitely no |
28 |
32 |
26 |
30 |
23 |
33 |
| It is difficult to say |
26 |
25 |
31 |
21 |
26 |
26 |
| IN YOUR OPINION, WILL THE PERSON WHO ORDERED BORIS NEMTSOV’S MURDER BE FOUND? | ||||||
| Definitely yes |
9 |
11 |
10 |
6 |
7 |
12 |
| Probably yes |
24 |
13 |
27 |
31 |
25 |
18 |
| Probably no |
28 |
25 |
37 |
24 |
23 |
30 |
| Definitely no |
16 |
30 |
9 |
17 |
19 |
15 |
| It is difficult to say |
23 |
22 |
18 |
22 |
26 |
25 |
|
IN YOUR OPINION, WILL WE EVER FIND OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MOTIVES AND PERSON WHO ORDERED BORIS NEMTSOV’S MURDER? |
||||||
| Definitely yes, I trust the professionalism and objectivity of the investigators |
8 |
3 |
7 |
9 |
8 |
11 |
| It is possible that there will be witnesses, but they are unlikely to reveal the names of those who ordered the murder; we are unlikely to ever know the full picture |
27 |
35 |
24 |
33 |
25 |
24 |
| Probably not; innocent scapegoats will be named, but the real culprits will remain hidden |
21 |
28 |
27 |
16 |
20 |
18 |
| Definitely not; not a single political murder in Russia has been fully solved, especially not when they have involved the highest state officials |
27 |
25 |
30 |
29 |
25 |
25 |
| It is difficult to say |
18 |
10 |
13 |
13 |
22 |
23 |
Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).