An absolute majority of Crimeans plans to vote for President Vladimir Putin in next month’s presidential elections, according to a survey published Tuesday.
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that led to Western financial sanctions that isolated the peninsula from foreign tourists and investment. Russia’s presidential elections have been scheduled for March 18, the fourth anniversary of the annexation.
The survey published by Russia’s state-run pollster VTsIOM indicates that 90 percent of Crimeans are ready to cast their ballots for Putin.
Putin's support in Crimea is 20 percent higher than the national average, according to the latest state-run polls.
Election enthusiasm is also higher in Crimea, with more than 80 percent of respondents saying that they plan to go to the polls, compared to around 70 percent nationwide.
Around three-quarters of the peninsula's residents voiced confidence in Crimean leader Sergei Aksyonov, while a third complained about either rising or stable corruption.
“The majority of residents are satisfied with the current state of affairs (82 percent) and believe that the situation in the republic is changing for the better,” the state pollster said.
The survey was conducted between Jan. 25 and Jan. 28 among 1,600 adults.
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