Since the attack on Ukraine, Putin’s approval ratings in Russia have been an incredible 80 percent. This image is now showing visible cracks.
April 8, 2026, 10:14 amApril 8, 2026, 10:15 am
Maxim Kireev / Time Online
There is hardly a question that causes Russia experts to argue as passionately as this one. What do people in Russia think about Vladimir Putin and the war against Ukraine? And above all: Can sociological studies even find out?
Vladimir Putin’s poll numbers are falling for the first time in years.Image: keystone
Some experts say that surveys among Russians should generally not be trusted, especially not in times of war. In a country where war opponents and Putin critics are repeatedly locked up in prison for many years, who will give their honest opinion to an employee of a survey institute? It is clear then, that 80 percent always claimedPutin and his politics are good. Many Russian opposition members in exile argue like thisprobably also in order not to give up hope for change in Russia.
Then there are those who believe that the numbers simply reflect the reality in Russia. Four out of five Russians are satisfied with Putin’s rule and would approve or at least accept the attack on Ukraine. So argue mostly those critics of Russia for whom it is not Putin’s regime that is the problem, but above all the Russian society that supposedly created this regime.
This dispute has been going on for many years now. There is no consensus in sight. The current survey results that several state institutes have presented in the past few weeks are all the more remarkable. For the first time in a long time, surveys commissioned by the government show a slow change in mood in Russia.
Less trust in Putin
Critics suspect that the results could have been somewhat embellished for Putin and the public. But they cannot completely ignore reality. This should also answer the question of whether surveys in Russia can provide valuable information.
At the beginning of March, for example, the largest state institute published VZIOM a surveyin which participants were asked to name a Russian politician they trust. No variants were specified. Only 32.1 percent named President Putin. This is the lowest trust rating for Putin since the start of the war. In March 2022 it was still 44 percent.
Vladimir Putin giving a speech at the end of March.Image: keystone
The same institute also asks the trust question every week in a closed form, i.e. with a selection of possible answers. Here the president achieved 74.6 percent in the most recent round. In a democracy that would be a dream value. What is more noticeable in Putin’s dictatorship is the negative dynamic. This value has also fallen continuously by six percentage points since December.
FOM, the second major state survey institute, asks the same question every week. And this survey also shows a noticeable loss of trust. In the past week alone, Putin’s trust rating has plummeted from 76 to 71 percent. Until the turn of the year, the value was still fluctuating quite stable around the 80 percent mark.
Anyone who listens to Russia these days will probably not be surprised by these figures. On the one hand there is the economic situationwhich has noticeably worsened over the past six months. The private sector in particular is now in a crisis: While prices and taxes are rising, wage increases can hardly keep up.
More and more people in Russia see the war against Ukraine as deadlocked. Unlike in previous years, it can also be felt in everyday life in Russian cities. Meanwhile, in large cities such as Moscow and Saint-Petersburg, the mobile internet is switched off almost every week for hours or even several days, probably to make navigation more difficult for attacking Ukrainian drones. Many people perceive this as one drastic change in their everyday life.
Especially since the Ukrainian army manages to hit ports, oil processing plants and factories despite these measures. Just a few days ago, seven people died in an attack on a chemical plant. And yes, Ukrainian drones occasionally hit Electric power plants and Residential houses in Russia.
Even government supporters criticize
The latest government attempts to completely block the messaging service Telegram and other social networks such as Instagram are particularly unpopular. More than 60 million people use Telegram in Russia every day. The service acts as the last major uncensored mass media in the country. For many companies, especially in the service sector, Telegram is a central channel for advertising and sales. Companies will soon have to pay fines if they advertise on banned social networks.
The planned Telegram block does not suit many Russians.Image: keystone
According to recent polls, support only 36 percent of Russians the Telegram ban. Criticism of these measures can be heard more and more often in private from people who have long described themselves as loyal. Journalists from pro-government newspapers and some prominent propagandists are now also expressing cautious doubts about the government line. Even governors loyal to Putin like Vyacheslav Gladkov from the border region of Belgorod recently criticized the excessive Internet censorship. Without Telegram, it would be less effective to warn residents about drone attacks, Gladkow said during a government meeting a few days ago.
However, the timid criticism of the government does not mean that Putin is in danger of losing control of the situation. Demonstrations are still only approved by administrations in very rare cases. Anyone who calls for unannounced rallies will immediately receive a visit from the police and secret services. This was also the case when some local politicians recently wanted to organize meetings against internet censorship. The repressive apparatus continues to function perfectly, the dictator has his country under control. Especially since independent surveys like those from the Levada Institute show that a majority still supports Putin.
This article was first published on Zeit Online. Watson may have changed headings and subheadings. Here’s the original.