The latest opinion poll conducted by CBS Research shows that 40% of Moldovans say Vladimir Putin is to blame for the war in Ukraine.

According to the poll, which was presented at a press conference on Thursday, a similar percentage think that Russia is trying to occupy Ukraine. 21.2% believe that what is going on in Ukraine is actually a confrontation between Russia and the West. And 14.5% believe that the third world war has started with the war in Ukraine.

ȚIn the Republic of Moldova, however, there is a strong dominance of the idea that it is a war of occupation by Russia over Ukraine. On the security threats faced by Moldova, 30.3% believe that they come from outside the country, from Russia. The number of those who believe that security risks come from the inside is even higher, 32%,” said Veaceslav Ioniță, expert with the think-tank IDIS Viitorul, which commissioned the poll.

40% of respondents say that Russian President Vladimir Putin is responsible for the war in Ukraine, while 26.7% believe it’s the United States. 20.7% think that Russia as a nation is to blame, while 20.7% accuse NATO.

The survey was conducted by CBS Research, the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS), in collaboration with the Bucharest-based Institute ISPRI and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. The data were collected between September 29 and October 11, on a sample of 1,066 respondents.