MOSCOW. Sept 3 (Interfax) - Most Russians - 74% - trust their armed forces and have no doubts about their ability to ensure the country's security, while 7% hold the opposite view, as is seen from a poll the Public Opinion Foundation conducted in August.
In an identical poll in 2013, only 49% were confident of the Russian armed forces combat preparedness, while 23% were not.
In explaining their confidence, 21% of the 'optimists' said the Russian armed forces are currently equipped with modern military hardware and possess everything necessary to properly perform their mission, while 'pessimists', on the contrary, say the armed forces have outdated weapons (2%) and lack proper training (2%).
Nearly two thirds of those polled - 64% - are sure that the Russian armed forces' combat readiness is improving (38% a year ago), and only 4% think the opposite (10%), while 12% see no changes (30%).
Asked what should be done to further improve the Russian armed forces combat preparedness, 20% said the state should attach priority to improving their provision with hardware, developing the defense industry, and working on new types of weapons, 8% said it is necessary to increase the servicemen's professionalism, and 7% to improve their financial conditions and social protection.
More than half of Russians - 63% - also believe the armed forces have enough modern weapons and military hardware (43% in 2013), while 21% are sure the armed forces lack modern weapons (35% in 2013). Another 17% were undecided.
As many as 56% of those polled objected to purchasing modern weapons from abroad, even if this is more reasonable considering the price-quality factor (59% in 2013), while 25% hold the opposite view (22% in 2013), and 19% were undecided.
As many as 55% of the respondents also spoke in favor of spending extra budget revenues on civilian needs, while 28% would prefer them to be spent on defense needs.
As concerns the allocation of additional funding for defense purposes, 46% of those polled believe they should be spent on the modernization of military industry enterprises, 35% for the rearmament of the armed forces, 35% for improving the servicemen's conditions, 26% for financing research in the defense area, 24% for servicemen's housing, 16% for increasing their monetary allowance, and 8% their pensions.