First independence then integration, Russian public confirms

Russia has been exercising the “best” methods of brainwashing its population, based on the Soviet experience of manipulating public opinion. There is almost no free media in Russia. Everything is under totalitarian subordination. So public opinion represents the opinion of the authorities.

The Yuri Levada analytical centre conducted a poll on September 12-15, about the Georgian territories occupied by Russia. 20% of the respondents thought that South Ossetia and Abkhazia should be integrated into the Russian Federation as soon as possible. 26% thought this should be done as soon as the situation calms down. 25% considered that it is wise to think seriously before doing this. 12% are against the integration, 18% did not give an answer. Russia has thus been given different options on how to integrate the occupied Georgian territories.

The next poll question was: “what do you think of integrating South Ossetia and Abkhazia into the Russia-Belarus union?” 20% said this should happen as soon as possible. 20% thought this should be done at some future date, 24% suggested thinking about the question further, 14% were against creating such a union and 22% had no answer.

On the big question of the day, 40% of the respondents thought that the recognition of the separatist states would be beneficial for Russia, 28% thought it would be neither beneficial nor damaging, 15% thought the recognition would harm Russia and 18% didn’t answer. 57% thought that the situation in the separatist regions was tense, 30% thought that the tension has decreased, 6% thought the situation had aggravated, 7% had no answer.

1,600 people responded to this poll, from 128 localities in 46 different regions.