The number of Russians who approve of how President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin govern Russia has increased over the past two months, according to an independent poll published Thursday.
The Levada Center polling agency said that Putin’s approval ratings grew from 63% in March to 67% in May, while 59% of citizens in May said they approved of Mishustin.
Mishustin, a former tax chief, was appointed by Putin last year and has since seen his approval ratings skyrocket while remaining loyal to the president.
Regional governors also have a high approval rating, at 63%, while approval of the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, runs at a rating of 43%.
When asked which politician they trusted, 33% of respondents said Putin, 12% Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, 11% Mishustin, 10% Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov 10% far right LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
Levada conducted the survey among 1,620 respondents from 50 regions from May 20-26.
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