Most Russians Blame US for EU Migrant Crisis - Poll

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Thirty-six percent of respondents agree with statements saying that people are fleeing the Middle East due to US politics, while only 16 percent of those Russians surveyed agree with statements saying that origin country governments are responsible for the refugee crisis, according to a survey conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM).

Russians chose the European Union and Islamic State as parties responsible for the migration wave in six and five cases out of 100, respectively.

An overwhelming majority of those Russians polled are aware of the EU migration crisis, with 38 percent of respondents saying they are aware that the region could see the arrival of another 5 million migrants in addition to the more than 710,000 migrants arriving in the European Union within the first nine months of 2015, according to the poll.

According to VCIOM, almost two-thirds of those Russians polled express sympathy toward refugees from the Middle East, while 21 percent of respondents expressed indifference.

The poll was conducted on October 10-11 among 1,600 respondents in 132 Russian districts.