Close to 60% of the Russian people are against military deployment of Russian forces in Donbass even if tensions escalate.

Merely 25% of people would support military action with Russian participation, while 16% found the question difficult to respond to.

The data is based on a sociological survey of public opinion, as reported by the Bulgarian National Radio.

However, as a result of the conflict in the southeastern part of Ukraine, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics are verly likely to eventually become independent states, similarly to the Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This was the opinion expressed by 38% of Russians surveyed by sociologists.

In comparison to the opinion poll taken in September of 2014, the number of people who find this scenario likely has increased by 8%.

Approximately 20% of people believed that both separatist republics will remain within the jurisdiction of Ukraine, but will achieve relative autonomy. Only 9% on the other hand believed that they could be annexed to Russia.