Two thirds of Russians support official measures taken to combat COVID-19

Two thirds of Russians (65 percent) approve of the measures the authorities have taken during the fight against the coronavirus, says a new survey on the “social well-being of Russians” from Moscow’s Higher Schools of Economics (HSE), cited by Kommersant, RBC, and TASS. 

At the same time, according to the survey results, Russian citizens are expecting more from their government. Forty percent of respondents believe that the authorities should ensure a normal standard of living for those who are experiencing difficulties (for example, those who have lost their jobs). And 34 percent of respondents expressed the opinion that “the government gives us a lot, but we can demand more of it.” Meanwhile, 24 percent stated that “the government gives us so little that we do not owe it anything.”

Asked about their financial situation this year, 48 percent of respondents said that it has not changed; 16 percent said their financial situation has improved and 35 percent said it has worsened. 

Forty percent of respondents reported receiving government benefits in connection with the pandemic, mainly ones for families with children. “The significance of other types of support for the population as a whole turned out to be negligible,” HSE’s sociologists noted.

The experts also drew attention to a new trend: “the growth in the number of people who believe in their own strength.” In 2020, 30 percent of respondents expressed belief in their ability “to change the circumstances of one’s own life for the better.”