Deep chill noted in relations between Ukraine and Russia

The number of Ukrainians with a positive attitude to Russia has fallen since February from 78% to 52% (in May).

The number of Ukrainians with a positive attitude to Russia has fallen since February from 78% to 52% (in May). The number of those who view the country in a negative light is up from 13% to 38%.

New public opinion polls carried out (separately( by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology in Ukraine and the Russian Levada Centre found this radical worsening in all regions of the country.  While eastern regions remained the most positive, there had been a fall of 15%, from 92% to 77%;  in the South -  from 86% to 65%, a fall of 21%; in the central regions from 76% to 43% (down 33%) and in the West – from 70% to 30%, down by a massive 40%.

In Russia the number of people kindly disposed to Ukraine almost halved between February and May, from 65% to 35%.

The Levada Centre found that:

69% of Russians are ready to support the Russian leadership in the conflict with Ukraine;

90% support the annexation of the Crimea (called the reuniting of the Crimea with Russia)

86% consider this annexation to be the result of the free will of the people of the Crimea.

Since February the number of people in Ukraine wishing to close the border with Russia had more than doubled (from 15% to 32%). In Russia there had been a 9% increase from 19% to 28%.

12% of people in Russia would like the two countries to merge [against 16% at the beginning of the year).

In Ukraine the number had fallen from 12% to 8%. 

Even in the East of Ukraine the number in favour of unification was 26%.  In the South this figure has fallen more radically and is now at 6%.

The sociologists warn that the data cannot be compared with previous surveys given that there are no results for the Crimea. 

From the report here