MOSCOW -- One in two Russians believes that the economic situation in their country is "bad" or "very bad," according to an opinion poll by the Vtsiom institute published on Friday, Interfax reported.

However, the number of Russians dissatisfied with their lot has fallen. the figure stood at 70 percent in 1997 and 56 percent in 2001, sociologists said.

Over one in three Russians (36 percent) considers that the economy is neither in a good or bad state, and only three percent believe it is "good" or "very good," showed the poll, conducted in July among 2,000 people, AFP reported.

Fifty-two percent of those interviewed do not think their lives will improve next year while 38 percent are optimistic and 20 percent unsure.

Raising living standards is one of the main priorities announced by President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly pressed his government to achieve more ambitious growth levels.