Support The Moscow Times!

Russians' Tolerance for Foreigners at All-Time High

Kiselev Sergei / Moskva News Agency

Negativity towards foreigners in Russia has reached an all-time low, according to the results of a new poll produced by the Levada Center.

The number of Russians who said they’d like to restrict one or more nationalities from the country fell to its lowest level ever at 54 percent, down from 70 percent in 2016, and an all-time high of 81 percent in 2013.

Some 58 percent of respondents percent said they “don’t feel any emotion” to others who practice another religion. Fifty-seven percent said they felt the same toward those of other nationalities and 54 percent said they were indifferent about migrants from other countries.

Russians with “very negative” attitudes towards people who practise other religions, those of different nationalities, and migrants were were 3, 2, and 6 percent respectively.

Still, more than half of Russians, 58 percent, believe the government should limit the influx of migrant workers. Only 6 percent felt that there should be no restriction and 30 percent said they were indifferent.

The poll revealed, however, that attitudes toward those with a “non-traditional sexual orientation” remain negative. While 32 percent said they were indifferent, 35 percent said they felt very negatively towards them. Only 5 percent expressed positive feelings.

The survey was conducted between July 14 and 17 among 1,601 residents over the age of 18 living in 137 towns and cities in 48 regions.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

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 you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more