According to the latest figures from the state polling institute, Putin’s popularity fell to 66.7 percent, the lowest level since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.Image: keystone
So far, Vladimir Putin has been able to rely on consistent popularity ratings. But new figures should give Russia’s rulers something to think about.
Apr 24, 2026, 10:26 amApr 24, 2026, 10:26 am
Christoph Cöln / t-online
Anyone who has spent any time in Putin’s Russia will know what it feels like: in a strange way, you are never alone there, somehow someone is always looking over your shoulder – and that someone is usually Vladimir Putin. The Russian dictator is omnipresent throughout the vast empire. But in a rather subtle way. His likeness does not hang on the facades of the ministries, as is currently the case with Donald Trump.
No, Russia’s ruler rather sneaks into the lives of his citizens. His preferred medium is television. And it works almost always and everywhere. When you drink a cappuccino in the café, in the bar in the evening and in the living room at home anyway. Then you see Putin receiving provincial governors and business leaders in wood-panelled offices, having balance sheets presented to them with an expressionless face and punishing those he meets with cold looks. It goes on like this for hours.
Putin: Frustration among the population is increasing
The propaganda infomercial on television has so far been one of the dictator’s guarantees of success. His approval ratings remained stable at a high level. But now the Russians might be a little fed up. At least that’s what surveys by the Russian Center for Opinion Research suggest. Accordingly, approval of Putin has fallen for six weeks in a row since the beginning of March, as the television channel “Current Time” reports.
According to the latest figures from the state polling institute, Putin’s popularity fell to 66.7 percent, the lowest level since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. This value was last lower shortly before the invasion of Ukraine at 64.3 percent. Trust in Putin has also fallen to 72 percent. At the same time, support for the ruling party United Russia has continued to decline. Although the numbers are still at a relatively high level, there has recently been a clear negative trend.
The sociologists did not give any reasons for this development. According to the TV channel Current Time, however, the frustration among the population is reflected in the numbers. This has apparently increased significantly in recent weeks – even among those in favor of the war. The reasons for this could primarily be found in the restrictions on access to the Internet and social media, primarily the blocking of the messaging app Telegram. Other factors include the rising cost of living and a certain level of war weariness.
Bonja: Feeling like living in a forbidden state
And there is something else that speaks for the growing dissatisfaction of Russians: the numerous propaganda programs on state channels are also losing viewers. Vladimir Solovyov’s show, for example, is currently experiencing a real collapse in ratings. Solovyov is one of the most ardent Putin fanatics, regularly threatening the West with nuclear strikes and wishing for the complete collapse of Ukraine.
As the Italian newspaper “Corriere della Sera” reports, among others, many Russians are increasingly turning their backs on television channels loyal to the Kremlin and switching to uncensored foreign channels.
The incendiary speech by the influencer Wiktorija Bonja may also have given the Kremlin rulers something to think about. The beauty blogger, who does not live in Russia, recently addressed Putin with unusually open criticism. In an 18-minute video, she denounced corruption and mismanagement in her homeland. People also have the feeling that they live in a forbidden state. Among other things, she called out to the dictator: “Vladimir Vladimirovich, people are afraid of you. People are afraid of you.” The video has been viewed around 24 million times so far.
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