© Grigoriy Sisoev / SputnikTskhinvali residents light candles in memory of 2008 war victims
In a poll conducted by the Russian independent think-tank Levada on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the war in South Ossetia, researchers asked members of the Russian public who, in their opinion, bore principal responsibility for the military conflict. Some 34 percent said that it was the president and government of Georgia, 24 percent pinned the blame on the United States and NATO and 20 percent said that the responsibility should be shared by all parties.
Only five percent of respondents agreed that the initiation of the military conflict was Russia's fault and three percent said the blame lay with the leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Some 59 percent of those polled told researchers that they believe Russian leaders did everything they could to prevent the armed conflict. However, 22 percent feel that Russia reacted to a provocation on Georgia's part and "allowed itself to be dragged into the conflict."
Comment: Then they agree with the independent report commissioned by the EU: But that doesn't stop the Western media and governments from continuing to blame Russia for "attacking" and "invading" Georgia...