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Number of Russians referring to Ukraine events as coup decreased — poll

The attitude of Russians toward Ukraine has worsened over the last year though the share of positive assessments (50%) is still higher than that of negative assessments (36%)
Сlashes in Kiev's Independence Square, February 19, 2014 Yevgeny Maloletka/ITAR-TASS
Сlashes in Kiev's Independence Square, February 19, 2014
© Yevgeny Maloletka/ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. The majority of Russians (81%) think the Euromaidan had negative consequences for Ukraine, Russia Public Opinion Research Center (WCIOM) said on Friday citing a poll.

"The majority of respondents (81%) still asses the consequences of those events negatively for Ukraine, and the opinion of those polled has even more polarized since 2014 (73%). There are currently only two percent of respondents that think Ukraine benefitted from what happened," WCIOM said in a press release.

"Two years after the events of Euromaidan, the society has to some extent reconsidered their attitude but tone of their remarks remained negative. The events are described first of all as anarchy and banditry (34% compared to 29% in 2014). It is less and less often called a coup (18% compared to 25% in 2014). The share of those who describe it as a civil war has also considerably decreased (12% compared to 27% in 2014)," sociologists say.

Respondents said the main causes of Euromaidan were wrong political course of Ukrainian authorities (20%), US provocation (19%) and struggle for influence and resources (13%).

The attitude of Russians toward Ukraine has worsened over the last year as the share of positive assessments fell from 60% to 50% However, it still exceeds the number of negative assessments (36%).

The poll was conducted by WCIOM on February 13-14 among 1,600 people in 130 settlements in 46 Russian regions. Statistical error does not exceed 3.5%