(Source: http://malleus.clan.su/news)

Russians began to think about the negative consequences of adjoining of the Crimea to Russia, as the latest poll by the Levada Centre shows. The sense of joy of the citizens on this occasion has decreased since spring, the approval of the actions of the leaders of the country on adjoining of the peninsula also decreased, the proportion of those who are willing to get reduced personal income for the financing of the new region also grew smaller.

According to the August poll by the Levada Centre, the number of Russians who feel joy about the return of the Crimea to Russia has declined from 23% to 16% during four months. The proportion of people who express the approval of the decision of the Russian leaders when asked about the feelings experienced in connection with the return of the Crimea also decreased: now there are 40% of such people, while it was 47% in March.

The feelings of justice and pride in our country are experienced by 30% and 37%, respectively, and these proportions have remained unchanged since the spring. Negative emotions (disapproval, protest, shame) remained in 9% of respondents. The attitudes of the respondents towards the fact how the loss of the peninsula is treated in Ukraine have also changed: Russians are aware of the growing hostility of the neighbors. In August only 9% said that the citizens of the neighboring countries do not have negative feelings towards Russia. In late March the figure was 17%.

23% of respondents believe that this step causes the Ukrainians to hate only the Russian leaders, 38% say it caused hatred for Russia as a whole. In March such situation was predicted by 18% and 24%, respectively. Besides, the opinion on the belonging of the Crimea has changed significantly, not in favor of Ukraine. Only 4% see it as a part of the latter, compared to 14% in March. 15% spoke in favor of national independence the peninsula, versus 11% earlier. The entry into Russia was approved by 73% versus 64%.

However, the willingness of Russians to reduce their income so that the state could finance the adjoining of the peninsula has clearly decreased. The sociologists told to the respondents that the incorporation of the Crimea will require significant investments from Russia, which would entail limitation of the growth of wages and pensions, cuts of social programs, the rise in prices. In March only 19% of respondents flatly refused to personally pay for the actions of the Russian leaders. Now 28% are not “completely ready” to pay from their own purse. 17% are fully or largely willing to suffer for the Crimea (earlier the number amounted to 26%). 33% agreed to incur some expenses, just like in March.

The poll by the Levada Centre was conducted on August 22-25, based on the representative sample of 1600 people in 134 inhabited localities in 46 regions. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.