Economic problems divert Russians from situation in Northern Caucasus, sociologists from "Levada Centre" assert

According to the poll, conducted by the "Levada Centre" on January 23-26, 44% of respondents assessed the current situation in Northern Caucasus as a prosperous and peaceful (in November 2014 the share of such respondents was 49%). 40% of respondents treat the situation in the region as strained (against 37% last November); and 4% – as critical and explosive (compared with 2% in November), while 12% found it difficult to answer.

Answering the question on whether the region will eventually manage to stabilize the situation, 32% of respondents expressed the opinion that it will manage to do it in the near future (in July 2014 the figure was 25%); 28% said that it would take many years (against 37% in July 2014); and 20% stuck to the view "I think that this won't happen at all; and Chechnya will remain a source of tension and conflicts in Russia for decades " (in July 2014, the figure was 19%).

5% of respondents believe that there will be no settlement whatsoever; and sooner or later, Chechnya, and, possibly, other republics of Northern Caucasus will separate from Russia (in July 2014 this opinion was supported by 7% of respondents). 16% found it difficult to respond (in July 2014, there were 12% of such respondents).

The results of the January polling demonstrate the unchanged Russians' attitude to the situation in the region, Lev Gudkov, the director of the "Levada-Centre", said in his comment.

He associated such stability with Russians' post-Crimean euphoria and the emerging economic crisis.

"Information from Northern Caucasus is somewhat dampened and presented in the background. People are more concerned about the economic crisis, their future and their revenues. Even the situation in Ukraine takes a 'back seat' to the problems in the economy, let alone the situation in Northern Caucasus," said Gudkov.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.