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IN BRIEF

Russians feel sympathy for the Middle East refugees; they mainly blame the United States for the migrant crisis.

MOSCOW, October 19, 2015. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the data of the survey describing how Russians assess the European migrant crisis caused by the large flow of refugees from the Middle East countries.

The European migrant crisis has not gone unnoticed in the Russian society: 86% of Russians report that they know about the problem. Those who are more informed are elderly persons rather than young Russians aged 18-24. Most of respondents regard the Middle East migrants as forced migrants escaping war and saving their lives. Other reasons behind their desire to leave their home country are economic hardship, unemployment, etc.

According to Medialogia Company analysis, the topic of the European refugees was mentioned more than 100 000 times in the Russian media in 2015. The peak of the references was in September (50 000). The media reported the aggravation of the situation in Hungary and at the Hungary-Bosnia border. It was also reported that Angela Merkel and the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban discussed the refugee situation. Besides, the mass media covered the negotiations concerning the refugee quotas. The most cited European countries related to the topic of refugees are Germany, Hungary, Greece, France and Austria.

More than one-third of Russians (36%) blame the United Stated for the migrant crisis. According to the data of a previous survey, most of respondents (56%) assign the responsibility for the Syrian war to the U.S. Rarer respondents mention the leadership of the Middle East countries (16%). Certain respondents believe that it is the world political system that is to be blamed in general (9%) or the European Union, in particular, (6%). A further 5% cite terrorists and Islamists among key instigators.

Only 2% of respondents (within the margin of error) consider that the ones that are to be blamed are people who decided to leave. The fist feelings that Middle East migrants evoke are compassion (61%) and rarer condemnation (3%). Every fifth (21%) is indifferent to them. Most of respondents express positive emotions towards countries that receive refugees. They respect them (29%) and feel sympathy for them (22%). A further 11% of respondents have a liking for them. Dislike, condemnation and malevolence are rarely expressed (4%, 7% and 2%, respectively); 22% are indifferent.

The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on October 10-11, 2015; 1600 respondents were interviewed in 132 settlements in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.5%.    Monitoring and analysis of the Russian media publications were carried out by the Medialogia Company using approximately 27000 sources such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines, information agencies and online media. Research period: January – October 2015.

About 500 thd refugees from the Middle East have entered the European Union since the beginning of the year; another 5 mln people may come in the near future. Do you know/have you heard/do you hear for the first time about this refugee flow? (closed-ended question, one answer, %)

 

Total respondents

Aged  18-24

Aged  25-34

Aged  35-44

Aged  45-59

Aged  60 and more

I am well aware of that

38

31

34

35

39

50

I heard something but I do not know the details

48

49

45

55

50

39

I have just learnt about that

12

17

20

9

10

9

Don’t know

2

3

1

1

2

2

In your opinion, what are the reasons why people living in the Middle East go to the European Union? (open-ended question, any  number of answers mentioned by at least 1 % of respondents)

 

Total respondents

They escape from war, military actions, air strikes

49

Better life; their living conditions are poor in their home counties

10

Poverty, gaining money, low living standards, economic crisis

7

U.S. aggression, policy  

6

Unemployment, in search for job

4

ISIL, terrorism, Islamist

4

They try to save their lives; they live in fear

4

To get allowances; to live free of charge

3

Political reasons, instability, developments

3

Famine, they arrive for food

2

No place to live; housing was destroyed

1

They were sent to destabilize the situation in the country; for the future unrest

1

Devastation in the country, country’s disintegration  

1

Europe receives refugees, flexible policy, kind president

1

Other

3

Don’t know

17

In your opinion, who/what is to blame for the migrant flow from the Middle East to the European Union? (open-ended question, any  number of answers mentioned by at least 1 % of respondents)  

 

Total respondents

U.S., Americans, American politics

36

Political leaders of the Middle East, countries where the war is taking place

16

Politicians of the world

9

European Union

6

ISIL, terrorists, Islamists

5

Military actions

2

They are guilty themselves

2

Those who started the war and created conditions for the war

1

 NATO

1

Western coalition, countries

1

Other

4

Don’t know

24

What feelings do you have towards Middle East refugees? (closed-ended question, not more than two answers, %) 

 

Total respondents

Sympathy

61

Indifference

21

Respect

5

Liking

4

Dislike

4

Condemnation

3

Malevolence  

1

Other

5

Don’t know

5

What feelings do you have towards the European countries that accept the Middle East refugees? (closed-ended question, not more than two answers, %) 

 

Total respondents

Respect

29

Indifference

22

Sympathy

22

Liking

11

Condemnation

7

Dislike

4

Malevolence  

2

Other

4

Don’t know

8

TOP 5 MOST CITED COUNTRIES in the context of the topic of “refugees”, September 2015

Position

Country 

Number of references

1

Germany

22 917

2

Hungary

18 902

3

Greece

9 413

4

France

9 376

5

Austria

9 361

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory! Full or partial reproduction of the Medialogia Company materials in other media must contain a reference to the Medialogia Company.

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