Many Russians claim to be disinterested and indifferent to the US presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. This is shown by interviews conducted by journalists from France Press on the streets of Moscow, quoted by BTA.
At the same time, Russian officials remain critical of Western support for Ukraine, with their strongest criticism of U.S. aid. There is a widespread belief among the population that Washington is responsible for the war.
The majority of people AFP spoke to said the US election did not matter to them. Alexandra, a 40-year-old housewife, for example, believes that the attention of Russian citizens should be directed to domestic problems, not to US politics.
A survey by the independent Levada Institute, declared by the Russian authorities to be a "foreign agent", shows that half of Russians consider the results of the American vote insignificant. At the same time, a third expect that a victory for Kamala Harris would worsen relations between Moscow and Washington.
According to another survey conducted by the Russian Center for Public Opinion Research (RCIOM), half of Russians believe that the US elections will be accompanied by serious manipulations. Nearly 40% of those polled said they would vote for Donald Trump if they had the right to participate in the US election, while Kamala Harris garnered the support of just 8%.
18-year-old student Maria is convinced that Donald Trump would make an effort to end hostilities in Ukraine and negotiate peace. According to her, if Trump had been president in 2022, the conflict would never have erupted. She is also concerned that an eventual victory by Harris in the US could lead to internal conflict.
Sixty-eight-year-old Andrei, a pensioner, says he would prefer Harris, although he believes the election result will not lead to significant change – "The same people will remain in power," he believes.
In contrast, the 22-year-old student Veronika believes that the US elections would have a real impact on life in Russia. She hopes that with a favorable outcome, sanctions against Russia may be lifted, which will ease access to many goods and lower prices.