Russians fear NATO eastward enlargement - poll
The poll was conducted among 1,600 people in 138 towns across 46 Russian regions on October 22-23. The opinion that NATO is posing a threat to our country is held primarily by supporters of A Just Russia (47%), the Russian Communist Party (42%) and non-parliamentary parties (46%), as well as Moscow and St. Petersburg residents (53%). Residents of small towns (41%) see no danger emanating from the bloc. NATO's enlargement eastwards is still worrying the majority of our population: currently, 59% of respondents believe it poses a threat to Russian security, although two years ago their percentage was 62%. This opinion is particularly characteristic of the supporters of A Just Russia (79%), Moscow and St. Petersburg residents (73%), and Russians nearing the retirement age and older (62%-65%). At the same time, the percentage of those who are certain that NATO's eastward enlargement is no threat to our country has increased from 15% in 2009 to 21% now, according to VTsIOM. This position is typical of the electorate of non-parliamentary parties (26%) and respondents ages 25-34 (26%).
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MOSCOW. Nov 30 (Interfax) - The majority of Russians do not doubt that NATO's eastward enlargement poses a danger to their country, with only few Russians seeing the North-Atlantic alliance as an ally, sociologists found.
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