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Majority of Russians happy about accession of new regions — poll

15% of respondents reported being neutral to the accession of the new territories, while another 9% stated that they were against the move

MOSCOW, September 30. /TASS/. About 72% of Russians see the inclusion of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions into Russia as a good thing, according to a poll published by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM).

"For two years, the attitude of Russian citizens to the accession of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and liberated areas of the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions to Russia has hardly changed. The majority still views these developments positively - 72% (also 72% in 2023)," the report reads.

It notes that 15% of respondents reported being neutral to the accession of the new territories, while another 9% stated that they were against the move.

According to the survey, today the vast majority of Russians (92%) are well aware about the referendums held in 2022 on the accession of the new territories to Russia.

As for why Russians are happy about the move, according to VCIOM, the main reasons are reunification (43%) and concern for people and their protection (18%). "Respondents against the incorporation of the new territories cite the fact that military operations are ongoing and that this is another state's territory (2% each)," the report says.

The all-Russian telephone survey VCIOM-Sputnik was conducted on September 24, 2024 among 1,600 Russians over the age of 18. The maximum margin of error, with a probability of 95%, doesn’t exceed 2.5%.

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