MOSCOW. Aug 10 (Interfax) - Most Russians find it right that ten years ago Moscow decided to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and almost a third consider the present state of Russian-Georgian relations normal, according to the results of a VTsIOM poll received by Interfax on Friday.
In the poll 81% of respondents said that in 2008 Russia was right to support South Ossetia in the conflict with Georgia and 7% hold the opposite point of view.
According to the poll, 80% of Russians support the decision made ten years ago to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and 9% have the opposite view.
As for the present state of relations between Moscow and Tbilisi, the poll indicated that about one third (31%) of Russians find them normal and peaceful. In July 2013 the opinion was shared by 24%.
Meanwhile, 29% of the polled called Russian-Georgian relations cool down from 35% five years ago.
In addition, 7% find the relations tense (five years ago - 22%) and 2% - hostile (in July 2013 - 5%).
"Like ten years ago the absolute majority of Russians are supporters of the recognition of the sovereignty of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Despite the tough stance on the question of these republics, our countrymen increasingly speak of the normalization of Russian-Georgian relations. Most conflicts between countries fade sooner or later. The same is happening in the relations between Russia and Georgia steadily but surely," head of the VTsIOM department for studies Stepan Lvov said commenting on the poll results as quoted by the press service of the sociological center.
The nation-wide poll was conducted on August 6 among 1,600 Russians aged 18 and more.