Putin the Only Choice for Russians

Watching Russia’s worrying trajectory under President Vladimir Putin, many foreign observers ask how a leader who is so apparently driving his country towards the abyss can remain so popular. The answer is simple: Putin’s supporters — that is, a hefty majority of Russians — do not see the danger ahead. According to the independent Levada Centre, Putin’s approval rating increased from 65 per cent in January to 80 per cent in March, immediately after Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The rate reached its peak in early August, at 87 per cent, when many believed that Russia and Ukraine were on the brink of all-out war. Though it fell after that, to 84 per cent in early September, the drop is within the margin of error. In other words, there is no basis to claim that Putin’s approval rating is declining.