05.03.2025
The results of a sociological study conducted by the Center "New Era" under the leadership of the Knowledge Diplomacy Center of RSUH have been made public. The study aimed to understand how young people in Abkhazia perceive Russia, the CIS, and future cooperation.
The survey was conducted using two methods: focus groups (100 respondents) and questionnaires (1,000 respondents). The target audience was young people in Abkhazia aged 18 to 35, including those studying at universities and colleges as well as those who are employed.
The results showed a positive perception of BRICS and the CIS among Abkhaz youth: 87% of respondents expressed interest in developing cooperation with BRICS, and 86% with the CIS. The vast majority of respondents stated that they would like to see future cooperation between Abkhazia and Russia. Among the countries found to be most attractive for cooperation were Belarus, China, Turkey, and Armenia.
The countries perceived as most attractive for cooperation often have different political and economic interests in Abkhazia, leading to a high level of competition between them. Notably, there is significant competition between Russia and Turkey, both of which garnered high levels of interest from respondents in terms of future cooperation. Germany and the United Kingdom received equal levels of support for future cooperation (56%), while the United States received significantly less approval from respondents (40%).
However, despite the relatively high level of support for Western countries, there was also a high level of reluctance toward future cooperation with them, suggesting that a significant group of respondents view Western countries as potentially unfavorable.
The most attractive form of cooperation between Abkhazia and the CIS, according to the survey, was diplomatic cooperation (57%). For young people, diplomatic cooperation represents the creation and development of a space for dialogue and good neighborly relations. However, 46% of young people in Abkhazia also expressed interest in military-technical cooperation.
The survey showed a high level of interest in cooperation between Abkhazia and Russia across all sectors. Key areas of interest include sports (95%), youth policy (93%), and education (93%). Respondents suggested various formats of cooperation, such as student exchanges, joint educational projects, and international educational programs.
Respondents were asked to describe their perception of the CIS in the present and future using associations and characteristics. The most popular characteristics for "CIS today" were: development, reliability, greatness, strength, faith, independence, and fragmentation. For "CIS in the future", the most common associations were: freedom, strength, pride, and unity. Respondents generally envision the future of the CIS as one of unity.
Russia is perceived as a friend, equal partner, international leader, and favorable direction for interaction and cooperation, confirming a sense of shared values and generally positive perception of the country. 56% of respondents consider Russia a leader responsible for the development of Abkhazia, while 22% strongly disagree with this concept.
Most respondents indicated that their opinion about Russia remains stable and positive, with 20% reporting an improvement in their perception of the country.
The results demonstrate that Abkhaz youth are deeply integrated into Russian culture and society. The overwhelming majority of respondents are familiar with Russian music, cinema, and literature. Although they are also aware of Russia's achievements in sports, IT, theater, and ballet, they have had little direct engagement with these areas.
In the focus groups, when describing the image of Russia using word associations, the most frequently mentioned words for both the "present" and "future" were: "bear", "Motherland", "Putin", "strength", "greatness", "help", "power", "might", "progress" and "confidence."
Regarding different forms of interaction, Abkhaz youth expressed a high level of interest in establishing communication with Russia or receiving Russian content. The most popular areas of interest included literature, cinema, tourism, and direct communication with Russian citizens ("live communication").
The focus group results also revealed a strong sense of tradition and a high level of patriotism among Abkhaz youth. The image of modern Abkhazia is associated with "religion", "culture", "traditions", "history", "national identity" and "unity". The image of "future Abkhazia" is associated with "preservation", "resilience", "development", "international cooperation" and "tourism."
The survey was conducted as part of a government assignment by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia. It was overseen by the "Knowledge Diplomacy Center" of the Russian State University for the Humanities.
For any questions, please contact the representative of the "Knowledge Diplomacy Center" at RSUH, Soslan Dzhusoev: +7 (928) 495-86-33.
