Propaganda calms down Russia about terror acts in Caucasus - "Levada Centre" survey

Following the results of a new survey carried out by the "Levada Centre", in the period from May to September, the number of people who consider the situation in Northern Caucasus as calm has grown to almost 50%.

In April, following the terror act in Saint Petersburg, London and Stockholm, the "Levada Centre" registered a surge of speculation about the possibility of terror acts in Russia. 79% of respondents then answered in the affirmative to the question of whether new terror acts could occur in Russia, whereas in March 2016, the number of such respondents was 61%. By September 2017, their portion reduced down to 72%.

According to the "Levada Centre", the number of the respondents who assess the situation in Northern Caucasus as "safe and quiet," grew from 41% in May up to 47% in September. Meanwhile, over the above period, the number of respondents who consider the situation tense has decreased from 37% down to 34%.

Lev Gudkov, the leader of the "Levada Centre", has noted the less the topic of the Caucasus is covered in Russian mass media, the more people feel that everything is calm in the region. "Federal TV channels have switched to Ukraine and anti-Western propaganda, and all clashes and shootouts in the Caucasus are on the periphery of the media," Lev Gudkov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to Lev Gudkov, the formation of a "positive" attitude of Russian citizens towards Northern Caucasus is also influenced by the President Putin's support to Ramzan Kadyrov. "The Vladimir Putin's protection gives Ramzan Kadyrov the delegated authority of a peacekeeper in Northern Caucasus ... The figure of Ramzan Kadyrov, who expresses all his loyalty, respect and diligence towards President Putin, also encourages the public to feel there is nothing terrible in the Caucasus anymore," said Lev Gudkov.

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