Image of Russia - Mighty Slavic Brother or Hungry Bear Nextdoor

In all countries, 06 Executive summary the profiles of the respondents were 08 No appetite for turning to representative of the country according the East in CEE and the Western to gender, age, education, place of Balkans residence and size of settlement. [...] 9 The image of Russia in CEE and the Western Balkans 1 1 No appetite for turning to the East in CEE and the Western Balkans Most countries of CEE are positioned at the eastern edge of the EU and NATO. [...] Following the fall of communism, the Unlike the western lure of a better life narratives, the desire to choose West came to embody the promise of and economic opportunities, those the East (Russia) over the West better living standards, security, stability electing for a pro-Eastern leaning (represented by the EU and NATO) and economic opportunity, these ideals are influenced by a broader range is. [...] or somewhere in between? 11 The image of Russia in CEE and the Western Balkans 2 2 Russia – a resurgent strategic partner or a shadow of the past era? The political and economic transition of the post-communist bloc and its accession to the EU and NATO was hailed by many as a shining example of successful societal transformation leading to greater prosperity and stability. [...] The direct Russian military involvement in combat in eastern Ukraine, the illegal annexation of Crimea, Russian airstrikes in support of the brutal Assad regime in Syria, aggressive hacking campaigns carried out by the military intelligence GRU units and the targeted assassination of the Kremlin’s defectors and detractors have indeed made headlines across the world in recent years.