REUTERS
Russians do not want to see the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples’ Republics become part of the Russian Federation, according to the results of a poll by Russia’s Public Opinion Research Center.
In particular, only 11% of respondents would agree to take the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic into Russia.
Some 43% of poll respondents suggest that Russia take a hands-off position with regard to its relations with the insurgent-controlled areas of Ukraine.
Formal recognition by Russia of the self-proclaimed republics – in reality several districts of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions that have been taken over by armed groups and Russian mercenaries – was supported by only 23% of the Russian poll respondents.
The poll was conducted on October 18-19. A total of 1,600 people were questioned in 135 towns and cities in 45 regions of Russia. The poll’s margin of error is no more than 3.5%