According to a survey by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM),
1. 70 per cent of Russians believe that the threat of a conflict with Ukraine over Crimea could become a reality.
2. Seventeen per cent of those polled do not exclude the possibility that the conflict may involve military forces.
3. Over a half the respondents say a diplomatic conflict between Russia and Ukraine is the most probable scenario.
4. 13 per cent of respondents say there will be no conflict over Crimea between the two countries.
5. The survey also revealed that 44 per cent think a discussion over the territorial alignment of the peninsula needs to take place.
6. The majority of Russians who hold this view have visited Crimea at least once since the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
7. Just 22 per cent of the respondents who visited the region only during the Soviet times do not expect any future discussion on the Crimean question.
*** VCIOM Survey: The survey was carried out by VCIOM on February 14-15, 2009 and 1,600 people in 140 towns in 42 regions of Russia were polled. The statistical margin of error does not exceed 3.4 %.
Kyle & Svet
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