MOSCOW. March 24 (Interfax) - The number of Russian citizens who may take part in protests is the lowest ever, the Russian Public Opinion Study Center (VTsIOM) told Interfax on Monday.

Only 21% of Russians think they may take part in protests against the drop in living standards, as against 47% in March 2005, sociologists said. Sixty nine percent of Russians think that protests are unlikely.

The number of people who think that protests are possible is the highest in Moscow and St. Petersburg (39%). The rate is 29% in other cities, and 15-20% in towns.

The main cause of possible protests is inflation (38%), low living standards and small salaries (27%), growing charges on public utilities and their low quality (15%), unemployment (13%), small pensions and allowances (12%) and corruption (8%).

As compared to the poll of March 2007, the number of Russians concerned over growing prices has grown from 13% to 38%. The number of people dissatisfied with low living standards and small salaries dipped from 41% to 21%. The rate reduced from 25% to 12% for low pensions and allowances, from 22% to 15% for public utility charges, and from 17% to 13% for unemployment.

Eighteen percent of the respondents said they would take part in possible protests. The rate was 33-35% in March 2005 and 2006, and 22-24% in late 2006 - 2007. The majority of the respondents, 72%, said they would not join possible protests.

The poll was conducted in 153 cities and towns in 46 regions in the middle of March.