POLL FINDS THAT HALF OF RUSSIANS KNOW WHO KADYROV IS

Newsru.com reported on February 21 that a poll conducted in February by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM) found that 56 percent of the Russian public believes that the situation in Chechnya has improved lately, while 33 percent believe it has worsened. The poll also found that 50 percent of Russians know who Ramzan Kadyrov is, and that of those who do, 6 percent pay close attention to his activities while 46 percent know whom he is but are not interested in his work. Another 34 percent of the respondents said that they had heard of Kadyrov’s name but did not know who he is, while 13 percent said they had never heard of him.

10 percent of the poll’s respondents identified Kadyrov with the reconstruction of Chechnya, 4 percent with the fight against terrorism and another 4 percent with ending the war in Chechnya. 28 percent of those polled by VTsIOM said they trusted Kadyrov, while 22 percent said they did not. Kadyrov aroused hope in 17 percent of the respondents, respect in 11 percent, distrust in 9 percent, sympathy in 8 percent, trust in 7 percent, and admiration in 1 percent. 34 percent of those polled said they felt indifferent toward Kadyrov.

30 percent of those polled by VTsIOM said that Kadyrov had a bright political future while 21 percent said they doubted he would achieve more than he has up until now. 12 percent said they felt he had no political prospects.