Most Russians Blame Georgia For The War

The Russo-Georgian War, which began over the breakaway region of Tskhinvali (so called South Ossetia) on August 7, 2008, and ended five days later, was Russia’s biggest combat operation outside its borders since the USSR occupied Afghanistan. Russia recognizes the independence of “South Ossetia” and “Abkhazia,” and, according to an independent Levada Center poll published on August 6, more Russians blame Georgia than the leadership in Moscow for the conflict.

34% of polled Russians who are familiar with the conflict said they hold the Georgian leadership liable, and 24% of the respondents accused the United States and NATO of starting the war. Only 8% of respondents named Russia the aggressor in the war, the majority believing Russia did its utmost to avoid bloodshed.

“After the conflict ended, the media severely restricted any information about Georgia, either negative or positive,” Lev Gudkov, head of Levada, explained.

18% of Levada’s poll respondents stated that they were hearing about the war for the first time, while overall 56% said they had simply “heard something about it”.

Gudkov argued that anti-Georgian propaganda and a lack of post-war news from Georgia shaped public opinion today. 

“Since the media actively broadcasted news of the Ukrainian conflict that broke out in 2014, people just began to forget about the 2008 war,” Gudkov stated.

The survey was conducted between July 19 and July 25 among 1,600 respondents in 52 Russian regions. The fact that the propaganda tactics being used in Russia by leadership arw working, is unsettling to say the least.

The consequences will soon show as tensions start to rise between Georgia, Russia and the US.

By Shawn Wayne

Source: Moscowtimes.com