Most Russians against the country’s nuclear disarmament
July 15, 2010 – 11:09 pm
Most Russians (60%) are opposed to further nuclear disarmament of the country, with more than a quarter of Russians approve of the signing of a new treaty on Strategic Offensive Arms (START), because they believe that it is for the benefit of the entire international community, Poll shows the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM).
The presidents of Russia and the U.S. signed a new agreement on START 8 April 2010 in Prague. The document includes a large-scale reductions of strategic offensive arms. The parties intend to seven years to reduce the total number of warheads by one third – up to 1,55 thousand – compared to the Moscow Treaty of 2002 and more than twice the lower limit for the strategic delivery systems. The contract must be approved by both houses of Russian parliament, as well as the U.S. Senate. Moscow and Washington intend to ratify the document synchronously.
According to the study, since the restructuring of Russian attitudes to nuclear weapons has changed radically. While in 1991 the majority of citizens favored the continuation of nuclear disarmament (48%), and now disarmament advocates for only one fifth (19%).
In favor of further disarmament often voiced by those who are generally well refers to the U.S. (22% of the respondents in this group), the Russians 18-24 years (22% of youth), respondents aged 35-44 (22% of this age), as well as residents of the north-west (27% of residents of the Northwest Federal District ), the Urals (25% of MSS) and the Far East (23% of Far East Federal District).
For preservation of nuclear capacity increasingly vocal respondents who have a negative attitude to the U.S. (66% feel sympathy for America), and and supporters of Fair Russia (69% SR) and non-parliamentary parties (67% opposition). This position more often followed the men (64% men), Moscow and St. Petersburg (65% of metropolitan residents), residents of medium-sized cities with a population of 100-500 thousand people (68% of the residents of these cities), as well as residents of the south (64% of SFO) and Volga (65% of PPO).
Most supporters of the preservation of existing nuclear capacity (50%) explain the need for such needs of national defense in case of possible attack. A quarter of the adherents of this position (25%) consider a nuclear arsenal as a tool of influence in the international arena, another 3% similar to the presence of nuclear weapons by other countries.
Proponents of further nuclear disarmament to justify their position often argue that disarmament make the world a safer place, will help avoid a global war (26%). Proponents of this position is also referred to the devastating consequences of possible nuclear war, in which there can be no winners (21%). In addition, these respondents indicated the enormous stockpiles of nuclear weapons on Earth, which has a detrimental effect on the environment (13%), as well as the high cost of establishing and maintaining a nuclear arsenal (7%). Some proponents of disarmament, noted an excess number of nuclear weapons directly at Russia (9%) and expressed the hope that disarmament would encourage Russia and other countries to reduce its nuclear arsenal (9%).
Every third Russian (33%) confident that the signing of the START benefit equally Russia and the U.S.. Benefit only to the United States in the contract sees one in five (22%), and the one-sided advantage for Russia say 4% of respondents. The poll was conducted May 1-2, 2010, surveyed 1600 people in 140 villages in 42 regions, territories and republics of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3,4%.
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