VTsIOM: residents of Russia express more fear of terror acts

The number of Russian citizens, who express their concerns about possible terrorist threat, has grown since the end of 2014 by 7% and reached 65%. The citizens of Russia see the main source of terrorist threat in the "Islamic State" (IS). These are the results of a survey prepared by the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (known as VTsIOM).

According to the recent questioning made by the VTsIOM, 19% of respondents have admitted that they are very afraid of becoming victims to terror acts. Other 46% have said that they fear of terror acts. 16% of respondents have expressed their confidence that they themselves or their relatives will not be affected by the terrorist threat. The remaining respondents found that difficult to answer the question.

The respondents were also asked what they treat as the main source of the terrorist threat. 23% of respondents mentioned the "Islamic State". 4% of the respondents answered: "From Syria." 3% have mentioned the Caucasus as the main source of the threat, and 1% of respondents mentioned Chechnya. Meanwhile, in November 2013, 23% of respondents pointed to the Caucasus, and other 7% to the Chechen Republic.

According to VTsIOM, against the background of an escalation of the Syrian conflict, the Russian citizens also expressed the increased confidence that the Russian authorities are able to protect them from it. 77% of the Russian citizens believe that the country's leaders will be able to protect the population from terror acts, while in September 2014, the corresponding figure was 68%.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.