Thirty-four percent of Russians certain their living standards will improve within a year - poll

MOSCOW. July 20 (Interfax) - Thirty-four percent of Russian citizens see grounds for an improvement in their living standards within the next 12 months, and 52% of young respondents have such expectations, according to the findings of a Public Opinion Foundation poll published on the organization's website.

Just 7% of respondents, and 9% in the 46-60 age group, expect their living standards to get worse, the poll results indicate.

Forty-three percent of respondents said they do not expect their living standards to change over the coming year, and 16% of those polled could not answer the question, the findings show.

As for respondents' expectations for the country overall, 27% of those polled believe that life in Russia will get better, 16% expressed the opposite view, 42% said they do not expect any changes, and 15% of respondents said they don't know what to expect, the pollster said.

The survey was conducted in 104 towns and villages in 53 Russian regions on June 23-25 and involved 1,500 people.