Most Russians see themselves as different from Western citizens due to Soviet past Poll

A majority of Russians (67%) believe that 75 years of Soviet rule have made them fundamentally different from citizens of Western countries — and that this cannot be changed.

The findings come from a new survey conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre, which showed that older respondents were most likely to emphasise national identity, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

Eight out of ten Russians over 60 agreed that the Soviet years made the Russian people unlike Europeans.

The same view was shared by seven out of ten (71%) respondents aged 45–59, and 60% of those aged 35–45.

The poll also found that six in ten respondents (60%) consider Russians to be a religious people who have preserved Christianity in its original purity — up from 52% who held that view in 2000.

By Jeyhun Aghazada