MOSCOW, 18 March 2023. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey on how Russians perceive Crimea’s reunification with Russia nine years after the referendum; the survey was commissioned by Social Research Expert Institute.
IN BRIEF:
- 85% of Russians have positive perceptions of Crimea’s reunification with Russia; the same percentage of respondents think the decision was right (86%);
- 56% of Russians feel pride from the Crimean reunification; 14% experience admiration;
- 76% of Russians consider that Crimea has been prospering more since it became part of Russia
Nine years after the referendum
A vast majority of Russians believe that the incorporation of Crimea into Russia was a right decision (86%); 67% of them are completely confident (“definitely right” (vs 57% in 2021). The basic reason for that is that Crimea has always been Russian land (53%). Other responses are as follows: Crimeans’ will expression (9%) and their national belonging (“most of Crimeans are Russian” – 6%).
Favorable perceptions of the reunification of Crimea with Russia are dominant (85%); more than half of respondents fully support it (63%; +17 p.p. compared to 2021). Nine percent of respondents express unfavorable views (13% in 2021).
When asked about emotions, 56% of Russians express pride when they hear about Crimea’s reunification with Russia (this percentage has increased by 8 p.p. over the past two years (48% in 2021). Fourteen percent express admiration, and only 5% have negative emotions such as disappointment (3%) and condemnation (2%). Every fifth respondent expresses no emotions (22%; 27% in 2021).
Reunification with Russia: good or harm?
Nine years after the reunification with Russia 71% of respondents see more benefits than harm for Russia brought by the reunification; the percentage has been between 60% and 78% over the entire period of measurement. Fifteen percent see more harm; 14% remain undecided.
Sixty-two percent of Russians mention positive consequences: new tourist destination (24%) and security of the naval base (18%). Fewer respondents mentioned restoration of Russia’s territorial integrity (9%), expansion of its territory (7%) and bringing the Russian-speaking population back home (7%).
Forty-four percent of respondents mention negative consequences. The most popular ones are conflict with Ukraine, special operation (15%), introduction of sanctions (13%), aggravation of the foreign policy situation (11%) and huge costs to restore the region (7%).
Life after the incorporation
Crimea has become a more prospering region since it became part of Russia, according to 76% of Russians. More than half of Russians could recall regional development projects implemented over the recent five years (59%). The construction of the Crimean bridge is the most visible project (46%). This is followed by, with a large gap, lifting of the peninsula water blockade (16%), construction of roads (15%), restoration of power supply (7%), construction of the Tavrida federal route (6%), infrastructure and tourism development (5%, each).
Three-quarters of Russians consider that the reunification of Crimea with Russia has changed the life of its inhabitants (77%): 64% of respondents in this group are likely to mention positive changes (“likely for the better”); 30% point to both positive and negative changes.
VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide telephone survey was commissioned by Social Research Expert Institute (EISI) and conducted 14 March, 2023. 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. Data were weighted for 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, survey of March 14, 2023: cooperation rate (CR)* = 0.7853; minimum response rate (MRR)** = 0.0152; response rate (RR)*** = 0.1035. 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.
In your opinion, did Russia do the right thing by incorporating Crimea, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||
| 2021 | 2023 |
Definitely yes | 57 | 67 |
Likely yes | 29 | 19 |
Likely no | 6 | 6 |
Definitely no | 4 | 3 |
Don’t know | 4 | 5 |
Why do you consider that Russia did the right thing by incorporating Crimea into Russia? (open-ended question, one answer, % of those who consider that Russia did the right thing; answers of at least 2% of respondents) | |
Crimea has always been part of the Russian land/ restoring the historical justice / it has always been ours / Khrushchev gave it away | 53 |
There was a referendum / people decided themselves to be part of Russia | 9 |
Most of Crimeans are Russians | 6 |
Russian strategic security | 3 |
Black Sea fleet / access to the Black Sea | 3 |
Protecting the territory and the population of Crimea | 3 |
Strategically important location / our military bases are located there | 3 |
NATO would deploy their bases there if Russia did not incorporate it | 3 |
They are our people / our nation / fraternity of peoples / reunification | 3 |
Other | 2 |
Don’t know | 8 |
Today how would you assess Crimea’s reunification with Russia - definitely positively, likely positively, likely negatively or definitely negatively? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||
| 2021 | 2023 |
Definitely positively | 46 | 63 |
Likely positively | 35 | 22 |
Likely negatively | 6 | 6 |
Definitely negatively | 7 | 3 |
Don’t know | 6 | 6 |
What feelings do you have when you hear about Crimea’s reunification with Russia? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||
| 2021 | 2023 |
Pride | 48 | 56 |
Admiration | 15 | 14 |
Disappointment | 3 | 3 |
Condemnation | 4 | 2 |
None | 27 | 22 |
Don’t know | 3 | 3 |
In your opinion, did the incorporation of Crimea into the Russian territory bring Russia more good or harm? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||
| VI.2014 | II.2015 | III.2016 | III.2017 | III.2018 | III.2020 | III.2021 | III.2023 |
More good | 75 | 69 | 60 | 78 | 69 | 71 | 64 | 71 |
More harm | 9 | 14 | 22 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 20 | 15 |
Don’t know | 16 | 17 | 18 | 9 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
What positive consequences has Crimea’s reunification with Russia caused? (open-ended question, no more than 3 answers, % of total respondents, answers that gained at least 2%) | |
| Total respondents |
Tourism, recreation / you can go there have a rest /resort / health resort | 24 |
Black sea fleet base / Russian Navy | 18 |
Return of lands / restoring the historical justice/ country’s integrity | 9 |
More lands / expanding the borders | 7 |
Russians / Russian-speaking population/ people returning back to their motherland / people reunification | 7 |
Protecting the country / security / protecting the borders | 5 |
Economy / commerce / development of production | 5 |
Life of people living in Crimea has improved | 4 |
Protecting the population / liberating people | 4 |
Patriotism / pride for the country / enthusiasm | 4 |
More population | 3 |
Policy / it is beneficial in terms of geopolitics | 3 |
Military bases/ defense capacity | 3 |
NATO / USA / counteracting the West / there are no NATO/US bases there | 2 |
It is easier to travel there | 2 |
Crimean bridge was constructed | 2 |
Restoration/development of Crimea/ construction | 2 |
Agriculture / vineyards / products | 2 |
People’s desire / Crimeans wanted to be part of Russia / people are glad | 2 |
Foreign policy / international prestige | 2 |
Other | 3 |
None, no positive consequences | 8 |
Don’t know | 30 |
What negative consequences has Crimea’s reunification with Russia caused? (open-ended question, no more than 3 answers, % of total respondents, answers that gained at least 2%) | |
| Total respondents |
Conflict with Ukraine / special military operation | 15 |
Introduction of sanctions | 13 |
Deterioration of relations / Russia’s isolation / drop in the country’ s prestige / aggravation in foreign policy relations | 11 |
Huge expenditures to restore the region | 7 |
Discontent of other countries / international community does not recognize the reunification / Ukraine wants the Crimea back | 4 |
Public discontent / discontent of the Crimean population / discontent of the Ukrainian population | 3 |
Inflation / price increase / rising dollar exchange rate / Russian rubble losing its value | 3 |
Economy shrinking / economic crisis | 2 |
Fall in living standards in Russia /fall in income | 2 |
Other | 1 |
None / no negative consequences | 31 |
Don’t know | 25 |
When assessing the situation in Crimea before and after its incorporation into Russia, in your opinion, when was it prospering: when it was part of Ukraine or when it was part of Russia? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||
| 2019 | 2023 |
Now when it has become part of Russia | 73 | 76 |
When it was part of Ukraine | 1 | 1 |
Both | - | 0 |
Neither | 4 | 6 |
Don’t know | 22 | 17 |
Do you know/have you heard about any projects aimed at the Crimean development implemented over the recent five years? If you are aware of any projects, please name them. Several answers are possible (open-ended question, no more than 5 answers, % of total respondents, answers that gained at least 2%) | |
| Total respondents |
Crimean bridge | 46 |
Water / water was supplied / water pipe / water supply / provision of drinking water / channel | 16 |
Roads / roads and bridges construction and repairs/ transport infrastructure | 15 |
Electricity / power stations | 7 |
Tavrida highway | 6 |
Infrastructure, construction | 5 |
Tourism / tourist infrastructure / tourism development | 5 |
Airport / airport in Simferopol | 4 |
Resorts / sanatoriums / health resorts / recreation houses / hotels | 4 |
Social projects / payments / benefits / pensions | 4 |
Health care / construction of hospitals | 3 |
Housing / construction of housing / moving out of dilapidated housing | 2 |
Energy supply / energy independence | 2 |
Artek | 2 |
Agriculture | 2 |
Education / construction of schools and kindergartens | 2 |
No projects | 19 |
Other | 2 |
Don’t know | 22 |
In your opinion, has the life of Crimeans changed after the incorporation of Crimea into Russia, or not? If yes, has it changed considerably or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
It has changed considerably | 62 |
It hasn’t changed considerably | 15 |
No change | 2 |
Don’t know | 21 |
After the incorporation of Crimea into Russia, has the life of Crimeans changed for the better, for the worse or partially for the better and partially for the worse? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who think that the life of Crimeans has changed after the incorporation of Crimea) | |
Likely for the better | 64 |
In some way for the better, in some way for the worse | 30 |
Likely for the worse | 2 |
Don’t know | 4 |