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Most Russians consider NATO aggressive alliance - poll

MOSCOW. April 18 (Interfax) - A recent opinion poll revealed that 58% of Russian citizens consider NATO to be an aggressive organization, and 17% say it is a defensive alliance. Two years ago, the figures were 54% and 24%, respectively.

The poll was held by the Public Opinion Foundation among 1,500 respondents in early April.

Asked what NATO's present-day tasks are, 16% of those surveyed named global aggression. They said NATO wants to bring the world to its knees, to enslave the world, and to seize as much territory as possible. Another 16% said that NATO is nursing aggressive plans against Russia.

Three percent of respondents said that eastward enlargement is NATO's main goal. Another 2% said NATO is pursuing a selfish policy of "increasing its capital," "usurping the world's oil reserves," and "expanding its arms markets."

One percent of those polled think that NATO's main goal is building up its might, and another 1% said its main goal is the protection of U.S. interests.

Only 5% of Russian citizens said that NATO is performing peacekeeping functions and that its goal is "to combat international terrorism," "to establish peace in the world," "to strengthen relations between countries," and "to suppress aggressive states."