MOSCOW, December 10 (RIA Novosti) – Two thirds of the Russian populace believe the rest of the world fears and respects their country, according to a new study by Russian state-run pollster Public Opinion Foundation published on Monday.
Sixty-one percent of 1,500 respondents said Russia is respected across the planet, and 63 percent think the world is still scared of the former Cold War superpower, compared to 28 percent who see no respect and 27 percent who report no fear.
Almost half of all respondents, or 48 percent, believe that the global attitude toward Russia is “good overall,” while 34 percent report a negative outlook, the pollster said on its website.
The populace was divided on whether attitude toward Russia is improving: 32 percent believed it does while 11 percent said it is getting worse and 42 percent reported no change.
But 48 percent are convinced Russia’s global influence is growing, compared to 7 percent who report shrinkage and 32 percent who see no change.
The nationwide poll, which was based on a survey conducted in March, has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.
Russia came out as the least popular of the world’s five top powers in a set of annual Gallup polls between 2007 and 2012. The most recent study, published in April, gave it an approval rating of 28 percent, compared to Germany’s top score of 47 percent. The poll, which also included China, United Kingdom and the runner-up United States, covered 135 countries and did not specify a margin of error.