Pollsters say 80% of Russians are against any foreign investment in their country’s military industry, and between 66% and 69% believe foreign capital should be completely barred from the oil, gas, coal, ore and timber industries, other natural resource sectors, and the electricity power industry.

The VTsIOM polling center said one of its polls suggested that 51% of Russia’s population did not want foreign capital going into aircraft manufacturing, 46% into agriculture, and 42% into the food industry.
Some 39% want banks, investment companies, and the communications sector to be out of reach for foreigners.

Between 27% and 33% are opposed to foreign investment in transportation, construction, auto manufacturing, trade, advertising, and marketing. Between 46% and 51% have no objection to foreign investment in those industries but believe it should be subject to quotas.

Very small proportions of Russians are in favor of unlimited foreign investment: 16% are in favor of unlimited for-eign investment in auto manufacturing, 11% and 12% in trade, advertising, marketing, and construction, and a maxi-mum of 9% in other sectors.

VTsIOM said it had questioned 1,600 people in 46 Russian regions. [Interfax, 10.17.2005]