The perception of US President Barack Obama's performance by Russians has hit a record low.
The survey, carried out by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (WCIOM), showed that 81 percent of Russians view US President Barack Obama unfavorably. Only 4 percent of the respondents had a positive image of Obama.
The WCIOM noted that a similar study conducted in 2010 showed that only eight percent of the Russian citizens were critical of Obama.
Over 20 percent of respondents explained their critical attitude to Obama with economic sanctions, imposed by his administration against Moscow in the light of the armed conflict in Ukraine. Another one-fifth of the respondents said that the US President has initiated a number of recent military conflicts. Approximately 14 percent of the respondents have condemned Obama's foreign policy in general.
Earlier in December, another WCIOM study indicated that 66 percent of Russians view the United States unfavorably, which is just 1 percent more than the 2008 level, when disapproval of the United States by Russians dropped to 65 percent, a historic law of the Russian Federation's history.
The United States accuses Russia of supporting independence fighters in Ukraine's southeastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, where Kiev forces are conducting a special military operation. Together with the European Union, Washington has imposed several rounds of restrictions, aimed at weakening key sectors of the Russian economy. Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusations.
Last week, Obama issued an executive order outlawing all investment and trade with Crimea, which reunited with Russia in March following the referendum, and introducing new sanctions against certain individuals and entities operating in Crimea.
