Russia-Poland. Social Diagnosis 2020
Russians about Poland and Poles and Russian-Polish relations. Report prepared by the Levada Center.
This research gives an insight into the thinking of the Russian public without ‘filtering’ by the media or politicians. The answers given by the Russian respondents of course reflect media and official messages in different ways. However, the image of Poland and Poles emerging from these Russian responses is in softer or subtler tones than Russian official statements convey. Differences between generations deserve special attention and investigation: younger Russians evince a much more open and trusting attitude towards the world in general and Poland in particular than their parents or grandparents. The study shows that the average Russian has very limited knowledge about Poland, its culture, personalities and interesting places to visit. Despite the decades since the fall of communism, Russians still have a largely Soviet-era sense of Poland. Presenting the achievements of today’s Poland, especially to the younger Russians, has great potential.