The number of Russians that consider high inflation one of the country's biggest problems increased sharply in January, a survey by state-run pollster VTsIOM revealed Tuesday.
Twelve percent of Russians were concerned about rising prices in December, but in January that number jumped to 20 percent, according to the poll.
Other problems that top the list of country's most pressing issues are the economy and low salaries, the poll showed. These issues were mentioned by 23 and 13 percent of respondents respectively.
Another 12 percent of respondents said they were concerned about unemployment.
Russia's economy has been suffering a slowdown, aggravated by the sanctions imposed by Western countries in 2014 over Moscow's actions in eastern Ukraine and falling global oil prices.
As a result, prices in Russia were 12.9 percent higher last year compared to 2014 and an average Russian saw their wages shrink 9.5 percent, according to data from the Rosstat state statistics service.
VTsIOM's poll was conducted on Jan. 23-34 among 1,600 people in 46 Russia's regions. The margin of error did not exceed 3.5 percent.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.