The popularity of the president of Russia, Vladimir Putingrew among his compatriots to unprecedented levels since 2017 following the invasion of Ukraine, according to a poll by an independent Kremlin consultancy. The Levada Center’s March survey showed that Putin’s management is well seen by 83 percent of Russians, 12 points more than last month and the highest level of approval of the president, in power since 2000, in almost five years. The Russian government said opinion polls point to “unprecedented growth” in support for Putin.
Only 15 percent of those surveyed criticize the president’s management, although the figure rises to 27 percent if asked regarding the entire government. The Executive has a popularity rating of 70 percent, one point less than Prime Minister Mijail Mishustin.
I followed the Russia-Ukraine conflict, minute by minute
“It looks very similar to the situation in 2014 in terms of the developing conflict with the West”when Putin’s ratings soared to unprecedented levels following the annexation of Crimea, he assured Denis Volkov, director of the Levada Center. Even those who expressed lukewarm support for the president generally agreed that he “is doing the right thing” in Ukraine, because they accepted the official argument that Russia is under threat from NATO, Volkov said.
“Unprecedented growth”
Previous polls had been made public in recent weeks and already showed Putin’s approval rating of 80 percent or more, but they were conducted by pro-government institutions. “All organizations dedicated to carrying out sociological studies find unprecedented growth in support for the president, in support for the government, and in support for the special military operation. It is a fact,” said the spokesman for the Russian presidency Dmitri Peskov.
Asked if the Kremlin pays attention to these studies, Peskov assured that “statistics have never been a priority factor for the president”. According to the spokesman, “the main factor is real work and the results of that real work, which should translate into increased well-being of citizens, the development of the economy, the social sphere, the strengthening of the country’s security “.
Putin’s image abroad
Outside of Russiainstead, Putin’s image has plummeted. On United Statesfor example, fell to an all-time low, according to a Pew Research Center survey that puts the rejection rate at 92 percent. Barely six percent of the people interviewed in this study trust the Russian president.
On the other hand, the president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenskyhas gained in popularity, since 72 percent of Americans trust him. Zelensky even leads the leaders of France, Emmanuel Macron (55 percent), of Germany, Olaf Scholz (53 percent), and of the United States itself, Joe Biden (48 percent).
Inside Russia the vision is very different. The Levada Center estimated last month that 48 percent of citizens had a negative image of the European Union, with only 37 percent giving positive responses. If asked regarding the United States, the level of rejection rises to 55 percent according to this study, which in this type of question would not yet reflect the consequences of the invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions adopted en bloc by Western governments.
The change in the perception of the population occurs following years of a waning support for Putin amid anger over unpopular pension reforms and stagnant quality of life since he began his fourth presidential term in 2018. The Kremlin has tightened political and media censorship since Putin gave the order to launch his offensive on Ukraine, punishing even those who use terms such as “invasion.”
The pressure resulted in the closure of media and social networks, which makes it difficult for citizens to obtain information outside official channels. This same week, one of the leading independent media, Novaya Gazetaannounced that it was paralyzing its publication until the end of the war, since despite abiding by the vocabulary imposed by the Kremlin, it continued to receive notices from the regulatory body that threatened its potential closure.
