In Orthodox-majority countries, people widely favor a strong Russia and view Russia as a protector % who say they completely/mostly agree with each statement
Roughly a quarter century after the end of the Soviet era, Russia retains substantial influence throughout many parts of Central and Eastern Europe. Indeed, Russia is widely viewed by the region’s Orthodox Christians as an important counterweight to Western influences and as a global protector of Orthodox and ethnic Russian populations, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of 18 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Majorities or pluralities in nearly all Orthodox-majority countries surveyed agree that a strong Russia is necessary to balance the influence of the West, and that Russia has an obligation to protect Orthodox Christians and ethnic Russians outside its borders.
In Orthodox-majority countries, people widely favor  | a strong Russia and view Russia as a protector  | % who say they completely/mostly agree with each statement  | Russia has an obligation to  | Strong Russia necessary to  | protect Orthodox Christians  | balance influen ce of West  | outside its borders  | Orthodox majority  | Russia  | 85%  | 72%  | Armenia  | 83  | 79  | Serbia  | 80  | 74  | Belarus  | 62  | 76  | Greece  | 70  | 69  | Moldova  | 61  | 63  | Bulgaria  | 56  | 62 56  | Georgia  | 52  | Romania  | 52  | 65  | Median  | Median  | Ukraine  | 22  | 38  | 66  | 64  | Catholic majority  | Median 43  | Croatia  | 50  | 33  | Hungary  | 52  | 44  | Lithuania  | 34  | 35  | Median  | Poland  | 34  | 51  | 39  | Religiously mixed  | Bosnia  | 55  | 50  | Latvia  | 40  | 39  | Median  | Median  | Estonia  | 34  | 32  | 40  | 39  | Majority religiously unaffiliated  | Czech Rep. 49  | 34  | Source: Survey conducted June 2015-July 2016 in 18 countries.  | See Methodology for details  | "Re ligious Be lief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 