The survey showed that the Russians’ attitude to the
swastika is the most univocal, with 74% of Russians viewing it negatively
MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. Most Russians have a positive view of the Soviet symbols, such as the hammer and sickle and the five-pointed red star. This data was obtained during a survey conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM).
"A total of 73% of Russians view the hammer and sickle positively, and only every tenth Russian (11%) — negatively," VCIOM said. The share of those who do not know that the hammer and sickle mean makes up 6%. Similar attitude is observed towards another Soviet-era symbol — the red five-pointed star. A total of 66% of Russians said they viewed it positively, and 11% said they viewed it negatively. Every tenth Russian (10%) doesn’t know what the five-pointed red star means.
According to the survey, Russians perceive international and foreign symbols worse or are just unaware of them. For example, the United Nations symbol is viewed positively by a little less than half of Russians (44%). At the same time, 17% of those polled view this symbol negatively. Every fourth Russian (24%) does not know that the UN symbol represents.
Ukraine’s state emblem is perceived positively by more than a quarter of Russians (27%). Every third respondent (34%) said he or she viewed it negatively, and 23% of Russians said they did not know that Ukraine’s state emblem represented.
The survey showed that the Russians’ attitude to the swastika is the most univocal, with 74% of Russians viewing it negatively. Only 8% of those polled perceive it positively, and 7% said they didn’t know what the swastika means. Sociologists note that most Russians (62%) favor a ban on the swastika.
The poll was conducted on May 2 and 3. Taking part in it were 1,600 people in 130 populated localities in Russia’s 46 regions, territories and republics. The statistical error does not exceed 3.5%.
Source: ITAR-TASS 07-08-2015
