BERLIN, July 17. /TASS/. Nearly half of Germans believe that anti-Russian sanctions do more harm to their own country than to Russia, according to an opinion poll conducted by the INSA pollster for Bild am Sonntag.

The survey was conducted on July 15, among 1,003 respondents. 47% of them believe that the sanctions have done more harm to Germany than to Russia. Only 12% have the opposite opinion. Another 36% said the sanctions are painful for both states.

Also, 74% of respondents expect Germany to be stricken by an economic downturn and unemployment soon. 83% expect consumer prices in the country to grow. 63% fear acute gas shortages leading to gas supply caps for enterprises and businesses, while 83% expect private households to face limited gas supplies as well.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a special military operation following a request for help from the leaders of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow's plans did not include an occupation of Ukrainian territories, its goals being the demilitarization and denazification of the country. In response, the West began to gradually introduce sweeping sanctions against Moscow and to supply weapons and military equipment to Kiev estimated at billions of dollars.