MOSCOW, January 30. /TASS/. Almost a third (32%) of Russians now see the West as the country's "eternal enemy," which is twice the figure recorded in 2000, according to sociological data presented at a TASS press conference.
The long-term sociological studies were conducted between 2020 and 2024 by the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
According to findings presented by academician Mikhail Gorshkov, who heads the Institute, today 32% of Russians are convinced that "the West is Russia's eternal enemy," while in 2000, 13% of respondents held this view.
Since the turn of the century, the number of Russians who believe that the country should "live by its own wits and go its own way" has risen from 39% to 52%. The percentage of citizens who believe that a strong leader at the nation's helm is essential for its prosperity has grown from 29% to 33% over the past 24 years.