A significant portion of Russians—about 54 percent—hold belief in fate, according to a survey reported by kp.ru. The study involved around 5,700 participants who shared personal views on whether life is preordained or shaped by individual effort.
The findings suggest that many respondents feel events have already been decided, and personal actions play only a limited role in determining outcomes.
One participant captured this sentiment: people are largely at the mercy of circumstances, and destiny seems to unfold beyond personal control. The sense of dependence on external factors appears to be widespread and persistent.
Yet a notable minority disagrees. About a quarter of those surveyed believe that fate does not govern life; instead, individuals themselves are responsible for their paths. They argue that only those who fail to overcome laziness and fear, or who refuse to take ownership of their lives, end up clinging to fate as an explanation.
Another view, shared by roughly one in four respondents, is that fate is shaped by personal choices. The idea is that decisions—big and small—set the direction of one’s journey rather than blind chance.
There remains a sizable minority, about 21 percent, who do not offer a definitive stance on the existence of fate, indicating ambivalence or uncertainty about the concept.
In related research, a separate study conducted by Yandex Rental—earlier assessed by socialbites.ca—found that most Russians are skeptical about signs or omens as meaningful indicators of life’s course. Still, 14 percent resisted the notion that folk wisdom is mere superstition, and 27 percent believed that some signs carry real weight. Among the commonly cited beliefs, the idea that a cat entering a home first brings happiness resonated with 36.3 percent of participants, marking it as one of the more persuasive superstitions in their view.
Earlier reporting noted practices where some Russians sought to influence fate directly, such as asking for changes to lines of fate in palm readings offered at beauty salons. These anecdotes illustrate a spectrum of attitudes—from skepticism about signs to active attempts to alter perceived destinies.