The majority of Russians (62 percent) believe corruption in government is wholly unacceptable and a further 27 percent believe it can never be condoned, a poll released on Friday by the independent Levada center pollster indicated.
On the number of top government officials involved in corruption, 44 percent believe that the majority of top government officials are involved, 18 percent believe almost all are involved and 25 percent believe only a few are involved.
The poll also revealed that 56 percent of those surveyed believe that corruption and bribery in Russia can be significantly reduced whereas 24 percent believe nothing can be done. Optimists who believe it will be fully eradicated accounted for only 15 percent.
Thirty-six percent believe that corruption in Russia is more widespread than in the West against just 9 percent who think it is less.
The survey took place between Feb. 19-24 among 1,600 people in 137 towns and cities in Russia. The margin for error did not exceed 3.4 percentage points.
