OREANDA-NEWS. According to the survey carried out by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center most Russians consider the founder of WikiLeaks organization Julian Assange a fighter for freedom and an altruist.

45 % of Russians (53 % of 45–59 years old respondents) think that Assange’s activities promote the principles of freedom of speech and freedom of media. 40 % (48 % of 60 and more years old survey participants) believe that Assange acted according the interests of the world community. 57 % of Russians believe that he “wanted to open the world community’s eyes to cases of corruption, crimes and scandals in different countries.”

At the same time, more than a quarter (27 %) of respondents (37 % among 18–34 years old persons) believe that Assange violated the law with his publications. 17 % of respondents (25 % of 18–24 years old) consider that the founder of WikiLeaks acted for his own benefit. 16 % (21 % of 25–44 years old) think that Assange published secret information for the benefit of individual states and politicians. 17 % of Russians consider that he sought to take revenge on his enemies and to attract attention.

However, Russians know little about Julian Assange and his activities. 45 % of respondents do not even know his name, and 10 % know only his name and nothing else. Among those who are aware of Assange, 14 % called him the founder of WikiLeaks, 13 % said that he published secret data about the USA, 12 % know that he was recently arrested in London.