News / Russia

Majority of Russians see US as threat: Poll

Tuesday, 12 May 2015 7:08 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 12 May 2015 7:08 AM ]

Russians holding anti-American posters protest in front of US Embassy against Washington’s policy in the world in Moscow, March 7, 2015. © AP

A newly released poll shows nearly 60 percent of Russians view the United States as a threat to their country, following a deterioration of relations between Washington and Moscow in the past year over the crisis in Ukraine.

The poll by the Russian non-governmental research organization, Levada Center, and published by the Russian daily Izvestia on Tuesday showed the figure was much higher than the 47 percent recorded in 2007.

In addition, the study revealed that only 32 percent disagreed with the statement, which is less than the 42 percent registered eight years earlier.

When asked if the two countries were able to launch a war against each other, over half of the respondents said they did not believe it would occur. However, a third of Russians said if a war would take place, Russia would be a winner and a mere five percent assumed the contrary.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) with US President Barack Obama (file photo)

The poll comes as relations between the US and Russia are at their lowest in more than two decades as Washington accuses Moscow of having a hand in the crisis in eastern Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied the accusation.

The US and other Western governments have imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia over the crisis. In a tit-for-tat measure, Moscow imposed yearlong food bans on the United States, the EU, Australia, Canada and Norway in August last year.

Ukraine’s warring sides reached a deal, dubbed Minsk II, at a summit attended by the leaders of Russia, France, and Germany in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk on February 11 and 12. The agreement introduced measures such as a ceasefire, which commenced on February 15, the pullout of heavy weapons, and constitutional reform in Ukraine by the end of the year.

The peace deal has dampened much of the fighting in Ukraine's volatile provinces, but failed to halt violence at key hot spots.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on May 8 that nearly 7,000 civilians have died in the conflict, with over 1,000 more declared as unaccounted for, while1,657 Ukrainian troops have died in the fighting.

CAH/GHN/HMV

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk