Support The Moscow Times!

4 in 5 Russians Support Taking in East Ukraine Refugees – State Poll

Felix Light / MT

A majority of Russians supports taking in refugees from pro-Moscow separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, according to a state-run survey published Monday.

The leaders of the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk republics on Friday ordered women, children and the elderly to cross the border into Russia, accusing the Ukrainian army of preparing to try and retake the regions by force. They said they planned to evacuate 700,000 civilians.

More than half of Russia's 85 regions have expressed willingness to accommodate or support those relocating from the territories known as the Donbas. Six Russian regions declared states of emergencies due to the anticipated influx.

Russia’s acting emergencies minister said more than 61,000 refugees have arrived from the Donbas as of early Monday.

According to Russia’s state-funded pollster VTsIOM, 78% of Russian respondents said they support their government’s  decision to accept the refugees.

Only 13% opposed the policy, VTsIOM said.

Another 75% of the respondents voiced support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order to hand out 10,000 rubles ($129) to the evacuees. 

Only 18% opposed Putin’s payout, VTsIOM said.

VTsIOM carried out the phone survey among 1,600 Russians on Feb. 20.

Ukraine and its allies also accuse the separatist republics of purposely escalating the conflict with the evacuation and a dramatic increase in shelling. 

The United States, which has warned that Russia could stage a false-flag operation to justify an incursion into Ukraine, called the evacuation a "cynical" move by Moscow.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine erupted in 2014 when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula and the Donbas rebels broke away from Kyiv. Some 14,000 people have been killed in fighting since then.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more