Russians are increasingly looking to emigrate abroad, although few have taken concrete steps to do so, a new study released Friday showed.
Twenty percent of respondents expressed a desire to permanently quit Russia in a Levada Center poll conducted in late May, a 7 percent increase over the last three years, Interfax reported.
The percentage of Russians intent on staying in the country shrunk accordingly, from 80 percent to 73 percent, over the same period.
But Levada sociologists found that only 3 percent of poll respondents have made the firm decision to move, while an even smaller 1 percent have begun to complete the necessary paperwork. Of those wanting to leave, 17 percent said they consider taking the step from time to time.
When asked to assess their country's future prospects, roughly one-fifth of those surveyed said they believe that Russia will become as rich and developed as the West, with 7 percent anticipating development along the lines of Asian countries such as China and India.
Seven percent had more dire predictions for the country, saying they foresee "impending collapse and ruin" for Russia.
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