MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. The share of Russians who believe that the country’s top leadership has a long-term strategy rose from 40% to 57% in the past two years, according to a poll conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM).

"In the past two years, Russians have become increasingly convinced of the existence of a long-term strategy among the [country’s] top leadership. The rate of those sharing this position rose from 40% to 57% in the reporting period," the pollster said.

According to VCIOM, 21% of those surveyed said that there was no such strategy, while their share stood at 29% in 2021. Another 17% were unable to give an unambiguous answer and only partially agreed with the notion.

According to the poll results, 46% of Russians are confident that the country has a predictable future, an increase from 36% in 2021. As many as 27% of those polled disagreed with this statement (a drop from 34% in 2021), and 21% only partially agreed with it.

In addition, the majority of Russians (72%) are confident that the situation in the country will improve in the next 8-10 years; in particular, 31% are observing positive changes taking place in the country and see Russia as a prosperous country, while in 2022 the share of respondents holding this view was 39%. A total of 20% of the poll’s participants said they could see the situation in Russia deteriorating.

Additionally, 50% of Russians consider the country to be one of the world’s great powers, 28% believe that Russia is likely to become a great power in the next 15-20 years, and 17% think that it will not achieve this status.

The nationwide telephone poll involving 1,600 respondents over 18 years of age was conducted on June 27, 2023.