Only 11% of Russians fully believe opposition figure Navalny was poisoned, just 8% blame government for August incident – survey

A mere eight percent of Russians think the president or government bodies were behind the poisoning of opposition figure Alexey Navalny, according to a new study which revealed 22 percent of the country is unaware of the incident.

The poll, conducted by the Levada Center, also revealed that 29 percent of Russians don't believe Navalny was deliberately poisoned, with a further 26 percent having serious doubts. Only one in nine (11 percent) of those polled completely trust his story.

Among those who had heard about the poisoning (77 percent), just 18 percent said they were following the story very closely. Upon hearing the news, nine percent said it made them angry, 21 percent said they had empathy, and nearly half (45 percent) said they had no special feelings on the matter.

Of all the respondents who believe Navalny was deliberately targeted (25 percent), 30 percent blame Putin or the government, with 47 percent having no explanation. Other named suspects are Western special services (eight percent) and those he offended through his investigations (also eight percent).

The Levada poll also revealed that 50 percent of Russians disapprove of Navalny's activities - in politics, media and activism - with just 20 percent approving. 18 percent claim to have never heard of him. In recent years, Navalny has gained plaudits for his detailed investigative journalism and widespread anti-corruption work. As a politician, Navalny usually polls at between two and four percent in 'trust' rankings.

Named for its founder, the late Yury Levada, the Levada Center polling company has often been accused of liberal bias. In 2016, the pollsters were accused by authorities of “performing the functions of a foreign agent,” and the center has admitted to receiving Western funding in the past.

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