Moscow, Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approval rating has fallen for a seventh consecutive week to 65.6%, its lowest level since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to state pollster VTsIOM.
Latest poll figures
VTsIOM reported that Putin’s approval rating has declined from 73.3% in March. Trust in Putin also slipped to 71% from above 77% over the same period, according to the pollster.
Political tenure and historical comparison
Putin has ruled Russia since 1999 either as president or prime minister, after being appointed acting president by Boris Yeltsin. If he completes his current six-year term, Putin will overtake Josef Stalin and become Russia’s longest-serving ruler since Empress Catherine the Great.
Possible factors and recent government actions
It was not immediately clear why Putin’s rating was falling. Last week, he ordered top officials to develop ways to kick-start the economy after a contraction in the first two months of the year.
A crackdown on the mobile internet, messengers and VPNs has caused frustration for many Russians in recent months. Putin said on Thursday that internet outages were necessary for security reasons, while calling on law enforcement officials to show “ingenuity” to find solutions and guarantee the functioning of vital services.
Debate over public opinion under wartime conditions
Amid war and state censorship, what Russians truly think remains the subject of debate. Supporters cite polls showing widespread approval of Putin’s rule, while opponents question how truthful respondents are when speaking to pollsters in a controlled environment.
VTsIOM said Putin’s approval rating rose after the invasion of Ukraine, climbing to just below 80% from 64.3%, and stayed above 75% for most of the war, with brief dips after mobilisation was announced in 2022.
Other political figures’ trust ratings
According to VTsIOM, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s trust rating fell to 53.8%, former president Dmitry Medvedev’s rose to 36.8%, Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov’s rose to 32.7%, and Just Russia leader Sergei Mironov’s rose to 29.8%.
How much weight do you give to approval ratings in assessing political support under wartime conditions?