Russians want aliens to read Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

(MENAFN) A recent survey indicates that nearly 80% of Russians (79%) believe in the existence of intelligent life beyond Earth, with many open to the possibility that aliens may already be present among humans. The poll was conducted by a national public opinion research center.


The findings show that older participants were more likely to think extraterrestrial beings could already be on Earth, while younger respondents were generally more skeptical. Men were slightly more inclined to believe in alien life, with 83% expressing faith compared to 76% of women.

Almost half of respondents (46%) suggested that alien visitors might be secretly observing the planet without revealing themselves. When asked how they would react if human beings were confirmed not to be alone in the universe, 77% said they would feel “curious,” 30% reported “anxiety,” and 15% felt “hope.”

Regarding potential alien behavior on Earth, most participants believed extraterrestrials would observe rather than intervene: 61% expected them to simply watch humans, 19% thought they would seek friendly relations, and 10% feared a possible attempt to take control of the planet.

The poll also asked which books respondents would recommend to alien visitors to understand humanity. The most popular choice was War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (15%), followed by the Bible or the Gospels (9%). Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky and 1984 by George Orwell were each chosen by 4% of participants.

The survey sampled 1,606 Russians aged 18 and older, conducted online using a representative selection of participants. The margin of error was reported at 2.5%, making the results statistically reliable within that range 95% of the time.

MENAFN23092025000045017281ID1110099366