The majority of Russians (70 percent) consider inflation and rising prices to be their most acute problems, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday, citing a poll by the ROMIR research group.
Some 66 percent of respondents said they are worried about poverty and low wages and 41 percent named unemployment as a major problem, ROMIR revealed.
More Russians are also concerned about the problem of corruption (36 percent), compared to 30 percent in 2014.
The Russian economy plunged into a deep crisis in 2014 following Western sanctions imposed on the country over its role in the Ukraine crisis and falling global prices for crude oil.
Russians saw their real wages fall sharply amid skyrocketing inflation and several million people were pushed below the poverty line last year.
In the first quarter of 2016, the poverty rate in Russia reached 15.7 percent, according to official statistics. A recent poll by Moscow’s Higher School of Economics (HSE) revealed that more than 40 percent of Russian households struggle to buy food or clothes.
The ROMIR poll was conducted among 1,500 people in all Russian federal districts, Interfax reported.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
