(Source: http://www.prov-telegraf.ru/novosti)

The majority of Russians are afraid of the clamorous corruption scandals, economic crisis and technological disasters in the coming year. At the same time the country’s citizens look to the future with optimism: in their opinion, a coup d’etat or a war with western countries in 2016 are unlikely. This is evidenced by the data of the survey conducted by “Levada Centre”, as “Interfax” reported on Monday, December 28.

For example, 46 percent of respondents believe that the coming year will be better than 2015, while only 8 percent of respondents are pessimistic. According to 22 percent, the coming year will not be worse than the previous one, and 19 percent expect no changes. 37 percent of respondents fear large technological disasters in 2016, 22 percent say about the possibility of epidemics.

47 percent of survey respondents are expecting economic crisis similar to that experienced by the country in 2008, while 33 percent think it will not happen. 53 percent of respondents (compared to 30 percent) are sure of the fact that clamorous corruption scandals will happen next year. 30 percent of respondents believe that massive ethnic clashes are probable, 31 percent think unrest and protests are possible in Russia as a whole, and the aggravation of the situation at the North Caucasus is admitted by 28 percent.

At the same time, 76 percent of the survey participants said that there would be no coup d’etat in the country in 2016. 67 percent also do not expect the government’s resignation. Answering the questions regarding the possibility of armed conflict with neighboring countries, 29 percent of respondents said yes (compared to 50 percent). 13 percent of the respondents think that war with the United States or NATO members is possible (67 percent hold the opposite opinion).

The survey conducted by “Levada Centre” from 18 to 21 December was attended by 1.6 thousand people from 137 settlements of 48 regions of Russia. The results of the survey conducted by the “Public Opinion” Foundation (POF) were published on December 25. According to the results, it was revealed that the majority of Russians believe that 2015 was worse for the country than 2014. On the same day the “Kommersant” newspaper published an article discussing the issue that the level of poverty in the country next year will come back to that of 2005, and in the future up to half the country’s population may be included in the category of the poor.