Results of our studies

MOSCOW, 22 December 2022. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey about the key events and heroes of the outgoing year.  

2022 key events

The special military operation has become the main outcome of 2022 (62%). This is followed by a long shot by the victory over the coronavirus (9%); partial mobilization gained the same percentage (9%); a further 6% mentioned the incorporation of DNR and LNR into Russia, meaning that the political agenda has been dominant in 2022. In 2021, the main event was the COVID-19 vaccination (21%)[1], in 2020, the appearance of the coronavirus (61%)[2]. The current year seems to finalize the “the history of the pandemic”.

  • The special military operation is often mentioned by Russians aged 35-59 (67-69%), metropolitan residents (76%) and inhabitants of million-plus cities  (71%), as well as respondents with higher education diplomas (73%).
  • Young people aged 18-24 often point to the importance of the victory over the coronavirus (15%).

Defending the motherland

The special military operation being a dominant topic in public opinion has had an impact on other spheres of life. When asked about the characteristics and qualities of the 2022 heroes, Russians often mention the following: participants of the SMO, the military, volunteers (10%); bravery, heroism, courage (9%); patriotism, being true to the motherland (7%). Public demand for a “hero defending the motherland” has been much higher this year. This can be proved by the following findings: every second Russian considers the military in hot spots to be the heroes of 2022 (54%), over two years this percentage has increased by 2.7-fold (20% in 2020). The second place is held by doctors (38%: −17 p.p. compared to 2020) followed by the rescue workers (32%). A hero is someone who receives an attack; during the pandemic it was doctors, now it is the military who are the heroes.  Volunteers and social workers represent other professions mentioned by respondents quite often over the recent two years (20% in 2022; 15% in 2020).

TV channels and artists

Every second Russian considers Channel One to be the main TV channel in 2022 (50%). This is followed by Russia-1 (23%) and Russia-24 (4%). Three percent of Russians mentioned NTV.

Oleg Gazmanov is the best male singer of 2022, according to Russians (14%). Other best singers are SHAMAN (Yaroslav Dronov) (13%), Nikolay Baskov (9%), Philipp Kirkorov (8%). Respondents also mentioned Grigory Leps and Sergey Lazarev (6%, each); Nikolay Rastorguev (Lyube group) and Lev Leshchenko (4%, each). 

The best female singer of 2022 is Polina Gagarina (14%). Alla Pugacheva is ranked second (8%); Valeriya is ranked third (7%). Other popular female singers are Larisa Dolina, Yulia Chicherina (5%, each), Sofia Rotaru, Elena Vaenga, Zivert, Pelageya and Zemfira (4%, each).

New Year is a family holiday

Most of Russians are going to celebrate the New Year’s Eve at home (80%); this percentage is high across all the demographic groups. Six percent are going to visit their friends; 3% will go to dacha. Celebrations at home have been dominant over the entire period of measurement (since 2003). The study shows than the three main components of the New Year’s Eve for Russians are their family, the close ones (38%), a Christmas tree (23%), and a New Year’s Eve table (18%). Women mention family more often than men (41% vs. 35); the percentage is also high among young Russians aged 18-24 (43%).

What’s under the Christmas tree?

This year the most popular gifts have been sweets, alcohol, culinary delights (25%), perfumery, beauty products, accessories (19%), souvenirs (19%), toys (18%) and money (15%). Since 2005 the leader of the rating has not changed – most of Russians give sweet treats; and women offer sweets more often than men (30% vs. 20%). Female respondents also tend to give toys (22% vs. 14%), perfume and beauty products (23% vs. 13%).

As to the gifts Russians would like to receive, the attention of the close ones is leading (10%). The second place is held by money (9%; −7 p.p. compared to 2021), followed by tickets to concerts, theaters and dinner at a restaurant (8%).

Celebration plans

Thirty-eight percent of Russians have decided how they will spend the New Year’s vacation; 15% have not decided yet. Twenty-one percent of Russians do not have any plans; the same percentage of respondents is not going to have a rest, they will work instead (22%). Over the year, the share of Russians who fail to have a rest during the New Year vacation has considerably increased (2.8-fold; 8% in 2021).

Most of Russians are going to spend their New Year vacation in their home town/city (69%), as a year before (71% in 2021). Every fourth respondent is going to visit another Russian city or rural area (26%). Metropolitan areas have become popular as destinations among Russians: Moscow and Moscow region (14% of the number of those who plan a trip), St Petersburg and Leningrad oblast (11%); Tatarstan, Kazan and Krasnodar krai (4%, each).

[1] 2021 results and 2022 outlook // VCIOM. 24.12.2021. URL: https://wciom.ru/analytical-reviews/analiticheskii-obzor/itogi-2021-goda-i-ozhidanija-ot-2022-go.

[2] 2022 outcomes: events, people, assessments, expectations from 2021 // VCIOM. 22.12.2020. URL: https://wciom.ru/analytical-reviews/analiticheskii-obzor/itogi-2020-go-sobytija-ljudi-ocenki-ozhidanija-ot-2021-go.

VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide telephone survey was conducted 3 December, 2022. A total of 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over took part in the survey. Survey method: telephone interviews, stratified random sample based on a complete list of mobile phone numbers in use in Russia. The data were weighted according to social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

Key effectiveness indicators, December 17, 2022:  cooperation rate (CR)* = 0.8098; minimum response rate (MRR)** = 0.0235; response rate (RR)*** = 0.1133. Calculations are based on the corporate standard: https://profi.wciom.ru/principy_standarty/korporativnyj-standart-po-izmereniyu-rezultativnosti-oprosov-sputnik-vciom/ * CR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews and b) non-interviews with eligible respondents. ** MRR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews, b) interrupted interviews after successful screening and c) all the respondents where it is unknown whether they meet the selected criteria or not. ** RR is calculated in the same way as MRR, with the only difference that the number of respondents with unknown eligibility decreases proportional to the percentage of eligible cases in the total number of respondents with identified eligibility or non-eligibility.

Please name three major events of the outgoing year in Russia

(open-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of total respondents; events that gained > 2% of answers)

 

Total respondents

Special operation in Ukraine

62

Victory over COVID-19 / lifting of quarantine / end of the pandemic

9

Partial mobilization

9

Incorporation of new republics / DNR and LNR joining Russia  

6

Inflation / price increase

4

Sanctions

3

Economic stability / economy collapsed / strengthening the Russian ruble / abandoning the US dollar

3

Foreign policy / international relations

2

Increase in utility bills  

2

Development of industry and agriculture / development of domestic production

2

Other

24

Don’t know 

28

Each year has its own heroes. Can you describe a hero of 2022, what kind of person is he/she? Cite five qualities, characteristic traits  

(open-ended question, up to 5 answers, % of total respondents, respondents that gained more than 2%)

 

Total respondents

Participants of the SMO / the military / volunteers

10

Bravery / courage / boldness / fearlessness / heroism

9

Specific heroes were named

7

Patriotism / being true to motherland, commitment/ loving your motherland

7

Sincerity  / decency / honesty

6

Self-determination / singlemindedness / assertiveness

6

Kindness / friendliness / mercy / generosity / humanism

5

Nobleness / justice / adherence to principles

5

Masculinity / firmness / constancy

4

Literacy / education / intelligence

4

President / Vladimir Putin

4

Reliability / responsibility / man of his word

3

Calmness / sobriety / mental stability

2

Self-confidence / independence / leadership

2

Love for family / relatives / children

2

Self-sacrifice

2

Caring / ready to help

2

Other 

22

Don’t know

55

Now I’m going to read out a list of options. Who could be called heroes of 2022? up to 3 answers are possible  

(closed-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of total respondents)

 

2020

2022

 

Military men in hot spots

20

54

 

Doctors and healthcare workers

55

38

 

Rescue workers, EMERCOM  

31

32

 

Volunteers, social workers

15

20

 

Virologists, vaccine engineers

22

13

 

Policemen

8

12

 

Teachers

16

11

 

Film directors, writers, journalists who spoke openly about vital social problems

6

9

 

Entrepreneurs who expand their production and create more jobs

9

9

 

Politicians who fight against injustice

8

7

 

Entrepreneurs who spend their  money on social programs and charities

8

7

 

Athletes who achieved extraordinary results

3

4

 

Representatives of the authorities who were able to act in a timely manner

2

4

 

All the above mentioned

18

3

 

None of them

2

1

 

Other 

2

6

 

Don’t know

1

4

 

What TV channel comes to your mind first when you hear “the main Russian TV channel”?

(% of total respondents, open-ended question, one answer; responses that gained >1%)

 

Total respondents

Chanel One

50

Russia-1

23

Russia-24

4

NTV

3

TNT

1

5 TV

1

REN TV

1

Russia-Kultura

1

Zvezda

1

Carousel

1

TV-3

1

None

5

Other  

3

Don’t know

5

Now we are going to talk about the Russian singers. What male singer would you call the best Russian singer in 2022? Up to two male singers can be mentioned (open-ended question, up to 2 answers, % of informative answers; responses that gained >2%) 

 

Total respondents

Gazmanov Oleg

14

SHAMAN (Yaroslav Dronov)

13

Baskov Nikolay

9

Kirkorov Philipp

8

Leps Grigory

6

Lazarev Sergey

6

Rastorguev Nikolay (“Lyube”group)

4

Leshchenko Lev

4

Bilan Dmitry

2

Shevchuk Yuri

2

Mikhaylov Stas

2

Rosenbaum Alexander

2

Marshal Aleksandr

2

No one

19

Other

43

What Russian female singer would you call the best Russian singer in 2022?  Up to two female singers can be mentioned (open-ended question, up to 2 answers, % of those who gave informative answers; responses that gained > 2%)

 

Total respondents

Gagarina Polina

14

Pugacheva Alla

8

Valeria

7

Dolina Larisa

5

Chicherina Yulia

5

Rotaru Sofia

4

Vaenga Elena

4

Zivert

4

Pelageya

4

Zemfira

4

Klava Koka

2

Milyavskaya Lolita

2

Allegrova Irina

2

Kadysheva Nadezhda

2

Loboda Svetlana

2

Asti Anna

2

No one

23

Other

35

How are you going to celebrate the New Year’s Eve?  (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)

 

2003

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

At home

74

73

77

76

77

75

76

72

73

76

74

77

76

78

80

78

82

78

80

Visiting friends

15

15

13

14

13

12

14

16

16

16

14

11

11

8

6

6

5

8

6

At dacha  (my own, my friends’, my relatives’ dacha)

1

1

1

1

2

1

2

2

2

1

2

2

4

3

4

5

4

1

3

In the countryside, at a holiday center, health resort

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

0

1

1

1

1

1

0

0

1

1

At a restaurant (club, dance party)

2

3

2

2

2

2

2

3

2

2

3

2

2

1

1

1

0

5

0

Abroad

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

1

0

0

0

0

I will not celebrate the New Year’s eve

2

2

2

2

2

4

2

2

3

1

3

3

3

4

5

7

6

4

1

Other

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

7

Don’t know

5

5

4

4

3

5

3

4

3

4

3

3

2

4

2

3

3

3

2

For the upcoming New Year’s celebration some people adhere to certain family traditions. What New Year’s traditions do you have in your family? What do you usually do in your family during the New Years’ time? Is there anything you cannot do without at New Year’s?  several responses are possible  

(open-ended question, up to 5 answers, %; answer options that gained > 2%)

 

Total respondents

Family / relatives / family circle / family gathering

38

Christmas tree / decorating the tree

23

Table, food/ preparing the table

18

Gifts / gift-giving

11

Meetings, communicating / gatherings / vising friends

7

Fireworks

5

Olivier salad

4

President’s speech

4

Champagne

3

Children, grandchildren / meeting children, grandchildren

3

Open air celebration

3

Greetings, wishes

3

TV set / New year’s eve  movies, concerts

3

Friends / meeting friends

2

Tangerines

2

New year celebrations  / visiting parties / new year parties

2

Mood / good mood

2

Celebrating / seeing out the old year, ringing in the new year

2

At home / family holiday

2

No traditions

9

Other

20

Don’t know

8

What are you going to give as a gift to your family and friends?

(closed-ended question, up to 4 answers, % of respondents)

 

 

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Candies, spirits, specialties

26

30

29

30

24

28

29

29

28

28

24

26

22

25

25

27

30

25

Perfumery, beauty products, accessories

21

23

22

21

20

24

23

23

25

21

15

19

21

21

21

18

17

19

Souvenirs (pens, notepads, purse, et cet.)

33

36

38

37

30

31

31

35

42

35

28

30

31

23

22

19

18

19

Toys

23

29

29

28

23

26

25

24

23

23

22

24

23

23

21

21

25

18

Money

4

6

7

6

8

7

10

11

9

8

10

13

9

14

14

20

18

15

Household appliances (tea-kettle, iron, coffee maker)

4

6

5

5

4

8

7

6

8

5

6

7

9

9

10

12

10

11

Hand-made gifts (from “other”)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

9

Gift card (from “other”)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

9

Clothes, shoes

7

8

9

9

6

8

9

10

7

7

6

9

8

9

9

8

9

8

Book (from “other”)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

7

Mobile phones

3

5

4

3

5

5

5

6

7

5

4

4

7

8

8

10

10

5

Home decor (from “other”)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

5

Jewellery

4

4

6

5

7

8

7

7

8

6

4

5

6

6

4

6

6

4

Flowers

8

9

9

7

7

6

6

7

7

7

3

7

6

4

4

7

4

3

Tickets to concert, theatre, a restaurant dinner

2

2

1

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

3

4

4

6

6

2

3

3

Tour package, tourist trip

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

0

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

Attention, good mood, greetings (from “other)

                                 

2

Camera, video camera, TV set, music system

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

1

2

2

1

1

1

1

1

2

CD, DVDs

7

9

8

5

6

6

4

2

7

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Computer

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

0

1

2

1

Car

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

Other

5

4

8

7

4

4

3

4

2

4

5

5

8

2

2

14

13

8

I will not give anyone anything

15

12

14

16

15

14

10

13

12

11

16

14

13

13

17

9

10

10

Don’t know

12

9

9

9

15

11

16

7

9

12

11

8

5

6

6

7

6

7

                                       

And what would you like to receive as a New Year gift from your family and friends?

(closed-ended question, up to 4 answers, % of respondents)

 

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

 

Attention of the close ones (from “other”)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

5

-

-

10

 

Money

10

10

15

17

17

11

11

15

6

9

10

12

16

9

 

Tickets to concert, theatre, a restaurant dinner

3

3

4

5

3

5

4

6

9

10

10

7

10

8

 

Candies, spirits, specialties

4

5

9

7

7

10

5

6

7

8

7

9

8

7

 

Perfumery, beauty products, accessories

9

11

10

10

8

10

5

9

12

10

9

8

9

7

 

Souvenirs (pens, notepads, purse, et cet.)

7

8

9

7

14

13

7

8

14

7

6

7

7

7

 

Car

7

6

7

9

7

4

7

9

4

5

6

6

8

6

 

Household appliances (tea-kettle, iron, coffee maker)

4

6

5

6

5

4

4

5

6

8

6

7

8

6

 

Book (from “other”)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

6

 

Tour package, tourist trip

6

7

8

10

9

6

6

6

9

11

11

13

15

6

 

Gift card (from “other”)

                         

6

 

Mobile phone

7

7

6

5

7

5

5

7

5

7

8

10

11

4

 

Computer, laptop

3

4

2

4

4

3

2

3

3

2

2

4

4

3

 

Clothes, shoes

5

6

4

5

5

4

2

3

2

3

4

3

3

3

 

Home decor (from “other”)

                         

3

 

Flowers

4

4

4

5

4

3

3

4

5

5

3

5

4

3

 

Jewellery

9

10

8

9

8

8

6

7

6

7

4

6

6

2

 

Health (from “other”)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

1

 

Toys

1

2

2

1

2

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

1

 

Online cinema subscriptions, music subscription/ CD, DVDs

3

2

1

2

4

1

0

1

0

1

1

1

2

1

 

Camera, video camera, TV set, music system

4

5

7

6

6

4

2

3

2

3

3

2

3

1

 

Apartment, house (from “other”)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

 

 

Nothing

17

16

14

17

18

17

23

19

27

27

31

14

15

14

 

Other

5

5

4

5

4

7

13

13

11

2

3

21

21

8

 

Don’t know

25

21

23

15

14

18

12

13

8

7

5

8

6

7

 

Let’s talk about the upcoming New Year’s celebration (January 1 – 8, 2023). Have you decided how to spend the New Year’s vacation, or not?

(closed-ended question, one answer, % of respondents)

 

2021

2022

Yes, I’ve decided / I know how I’m going to spend it

46

38

I thought about it but haven’t decided yet

10

15

I haven’t thought about it / nothing’s planned

35

21

I won’t have any New Year’s vacation / I’ll have to work

8

22

Don’t know / not decided yet

1

4

Are you going to leave your city/ area for the New year’s celebration in 2023, or not?

(closed-ended question, up to 2 answers, % of respondents)

 

2020

2021

2022

Yes, I’m going to visit another Russian city/village

24

25

26

Yes, I’ll go abroad

1

1

1

No, I won’t  go anywhere

74

71

69

Don’t know / not decided yet

2

4

4

You’ve said that you’re going to leave your city/ area for the New year’s celebration. What region/city or country are you going to visit?

(open-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of respondents who are going to “leave”")

Moscow / Moscow oblast

14

St Petersburg / Leningrad oblast

8

Krasnodar krai

4

Republic of Tatarstan / Kazan

4

Chelyabinsk region

3

Crimea

3

Bashkortostan

2

Home region

2

Tula oblast

2

Krasnoyarsk krai

2

Perm krai / Perm

2

Vladimir oblast

2

Yekaterinburg

2

Tyumen oblast / Tyumen

2

Golden Ring

2

Rostov oblast

2

Voronezh

2

Other

56

Don’t know

3

 


[1] 2021 results and 2022 outlook // VCIOM. 24.12.2021. URL: https://wciom.ru/analytical-reviews/analiticheskii-obzor/itogi-2021-goda-i-ozhidanija-ot-2022-go.

[2] 2022 outcomes: events, people, assessments, expectations from 2021 // VCIOM. 22.12.2020. URL: https://wciom.ru/analytical-reviews/analiticheskii-obzor/itogi-2020-go-sobytija-ljudi-ocenki-ozhidanija-ot-2021-go.