This survey took place between 11 and 14 March 2016 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 137 localities of 48 of the country’s regions. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. 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%.
WHAT GOALS DO YOU THINK THE RUSSIAN LEADERSHIP WAS PURSUING IN THE WAR IN SYRIA?
| Attempting to neutralize and liquidate the threat of military action by Islamic radicals and terrorists spilling over into Russia | 58 |
| Defending Bashar al-Assad’s regime in order to prevent a series of “color revolutions” provoked by the US around the world | 27 |
| Asserting the economic interests of Russian companies in the Middle East | 19 |
| Attempting to break the Western coalition in order to prevent Russia’s total isolation and harsher sanctions | 9 |
| Supporting Bashar al-Assad’s regime in its fight with the opposition, since the Russian government fears similar anti-government mass protests in Russia | 9 |
| Trying to distract the Russian population from the economic crisis, authorities’ incompetence and inability to deal with problems and corruption | 8 |
| I don’t understand why Russian participated in this war | 12 |
| It is difficult to say | 7 |
DO YOU THINK THAT THE COUNTRY’S LEADERS WERE RIGHT IN BEGINNING AERIAL AND ROCKET STRIKES IN SYRIA THIS FALL?
| Definitely yes | 26 |
| Probably yes | 42 |
| Probably no | 12 |
| Definitely no | 4 |
| It is difficult to say | 16 |
DO YOU THINK THAT THE COUNTRY’S LEADERS WERE RIGHT IN WITHDRAWING RUSSIAN AIR FORCES FROM SYRIA?
| Definitely yes | 33 |
| Probably yes | 48 |
| Probably no | 6 |
| Definitely no | 1 |
| It is difficult to say | 12 |
DO YOU THINK THAT RUSSIA ACHIEVED THE GOALS it SET OUT TO ACHIEVE WITH THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN IN SYRIA?
| Definitely yes | 22 |
| Probably yes | 47 |
| Probably no | 11 |
| Definitely no | 3 |
| It is difficult to say | 18 |
DO YOU THINK THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE WEST HAVE IMPROVED, WORSENED, OR REMAINED UNCHANGED AS A RESULT OF RUSSIA’S DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN THE SYRIAN CONFLICT?
| Improved | 30 |
| Worsened | 20 |
| Remained the same | 39 |
| It is difficult to say | 11 |
Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).