Russians are most afraid of “illness of loved ones, children” (82%), “world war” (56%) and “abuse of power by the authorities” (53%). The structure of mass fears remains unchanged.
Russians are most afraid of “illness of loved ones, children” (82%), “world war” (56%) and “abuse of power by the authorities” (53%). The structure of mass fears remains unchanged.
Not afraid at all / rather not | Sometimes I am, sometimes not | Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | Can’t say | |
Illness of loved ones / children | 10 | 8 | 82 | 0 |
World war | 29 | 14 | 56 | 1 |
Abuse of power by authorities | 27 | 18 | 53 | 2 |
Illness, misery | 29 | 18 | 52 | 1 |
Return of repressions | 37 | 13 | 47 | 3 |
Poverty | 36 | 19 | 45 | 0 |
Aids | 46 | 13 | 39 | 2 |
Loss of savings | 45 | 15 | 39 | 1 |
Death | 33 | 14 | 39 | 1 |
Getting robbed | 41 | 21 | 38 | 1 |
Worsening of the political regime | 39 | 21 | 37 | 3 |
Natural disasters | 46 | 22 | 31 | 1 |
Unemployment | 47 | 16 | 32 | 5 |
Public humiliation, verbal abuse | 53 | 18 | 28 | 1 |
Getting old | 60 | 16 | 24 | 1 |
Are you afraid of…
…Illness of loved ones / children?
1994 | 1999 | 2003 | 2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 7 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 10 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 10 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 78 | 85 | 77 | 70 | 80 | 72 | 68 | 62 | 78 | 76 | 79 | 82 | 82 |
Can’t say | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Number of respondents | 3000 | 2000 | 2000 | 1500 | 800 | 800 | 1600 | 1600 | 1600 | 1600 | 1600 | 1600 | 1600 |
…World war?
1994 | 1999 | 2003 | 2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 21 | 22 | 33 | 44 | 29 | 21 | 32 | 32 | 28 | 31 | 30 | 24 | 29 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 14 | 14 | 21 | 16 | 21 | 26 | 22 | 25 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 51 | 49 | 39 | 30 | 45 | 51 | 43 | 40 | 57 | 53 | 54 | 62 | 56 |
Can’t say | 14 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
…abuse of power by the authorities / lawlessness?
1994 | 1999 | 2003 | 2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 16 | 13 | 23 | 32 | 27 | 38 | 42 | 40 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 22 | 27 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 18 | 16 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 19 | 27 | 28 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 51 | 55 | 44 | 30 | 41 | 33 | 29 | 29 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 58 | 53 |
Can’t say | 16 | 16 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
…illness, misery?
2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 22 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 24 | 31 | 27 | 30 | 26 | 29 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 21 | 21 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 17 | 18 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 51 | 57 | 48 | 45 | 48 | 49 | 51 | 47 | 57 | 52 |
Can’t say | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
…return of repressions?
1994 | 1999 | 2003 | 2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 26 | 34 | 51 | 47 | 38 | 49 | 53 | 51 | 41 | 41 | 39 | 29 | 37 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 16 | 14 | 21 | 17 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 13 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 37 | 28 | 19 | 17 | 30 | 26 | 20 | 21 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 52 | 47 |
Can’t say | 20 | 23 | 10 | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
…poverty?
2008 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 27 | 41 | 27 | 20 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 37 | 35 | 33 | 32 | 36 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 27 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 19 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 44 | 27 | 45 | 52 | 46 | 44 | 42 | 45 | 44 | 46 | 46 | 45 |
Can’t say | 5 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
…AIDS?
2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 48 | 44 | 49 | 58 | 52 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 41 | 46 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 14 | 19 | 23 | 17 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 13 | 13 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 27 | 31 | 26 | 20 | 22 | 41 | 38 | 36 | 45 | 39 |
Can’t say | 11 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
…loss of savings?
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 40 | 40 | 48 | 44 | 48 | 51 | 40 | 38 | 45 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 24 | 26 | 22 | 24 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 15 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 29 | 32 | 27 | 29 | 34 | 28 | 39 | 44 | 39 |
Can’t say | 7 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
…death?
2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 36 | 33 | 36 | 35 | 37 | 46 | 44 | 46 | 42 | 33 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 20 | 19 | 28 | 25 | 26 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 14 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 32 | 41 | 32 | 36 | 33 | 37 | 37 | 31 | 42 | 39 |
Can’t say | 11 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
…getting robbed?
1994 | 1999 | 2003 | 2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 14 | 19 | 19 | 33 | 28 | 32 | 39 | 39 | 40 | 45 | 43 | 36 | 41 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 15 | 16 | 28 | 25 | 30 | 33 | 30 | 30 | 19 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 62 | 52 | 49 | 33 | 39 | 33 | 30 | 29 | 39 | 32 | 33 | 44 | 38 |
Can’t say | 9 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
…worsening of the political regime?
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 42 | 48 | 57 | 54 | 42 | 40 | 37 | 34 | 39 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 24 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 21 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 25 | 24 | 17 | 17 | 36 | 35 | 37 | 41 | 37 |
Can’t say | 10 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
…natural disasters?
1994 | 1999 | 2003 | 2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 28 | 28 | 35 | 40 | 34 | 28 | 48 | 38 | 48 | 47 | 52 | 45 | 46 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 24 | 19 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 28 | 25 | 28 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 22 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 33 | 33 | 34 | 27 | 38 | 43 | 25 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 26 | 33 | 31 |
Can’t say | 15 | 20 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | <1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
…unemployment?
1994 | 1999 | 2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 21 | 12 | 45 | 37 | 45 | 44 | 45 | 50 | 50 | 46 | 50 | 47 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 20 | 13 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 49 | 66 | 30 | 38 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 26 | 31 | 31 | 32 |
Can’t say | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
…public humiliation, verbal abuse?
1994 | 1999 | 2003 | 2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 28 | 31 | 45 | 44 | 35 | 42 | 52 | 47 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 46 | 53 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 20 | 18 | 24 | 20 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 14 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 37 | 32 | 24 | 26 | 32 | 30 | 22 | 24 | 31 | 27 | 26 | 36 | 28 |
Can’t say | 16 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
…getting old?
2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 03.2021 | 12.2021 | |
Not afraid at all / rather not | 43 | 46 | 38 | 48 | 46 | 57 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 60 |
Sometimes I am, sometimes not | 19 | 22 | 32 | 22 | 24 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 |
Rather afraid / Constantly afraid | 29 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 24 |
Can’t say | 10 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
METHODOLOGY
The survey by the Levada Center was conducted December 16 – 22, among a representative sample of all Russian urban and rural residents. The sample was comprised of 1640 people aged 18 or older in 137 municipalities of 50 regions of the Russian Federation. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. The answer distribution is presented as percentages of the total number of participants along with data from previous surveys.
The statistical error of these studies for a sample of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:
3.4% for indicators around 50%
2.9% for indicators around 25%/75%
2.0% for indicators around 10%/90%
1.5% for indicators around 5%/95%
The ANO Levada Center is included in the registry of non-commercial organizations acting as foreign agents.