Support The Moscow Times!

Kremlin Asks Specialists to Explain Putin's Falling Trust Ratings

Andrei Lyubimov / Moskva News Agency

Russian sociologists should explain President Vladimir Putin’s record-low trust levels amid his growing approval ratings, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

A recent state-funded survey said that public trust in Putin has dropped to its lowest level since 2006. The same survey showed Putin’s approval rating grow from 61 percent in January to 65 percent this month.

“We’re waiting for some analysis by our respected specialists on how these data correlate. How can trust level fall, but [approval] rating rise?” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Interfax.

Valery Fyodorov, head of the state-funded VTsIOM pollster whose results raised the Kremlin's eyebrows, later explained that two distinct methodologies were used to arrive at both indicators.

While around two-thirds of Russians approved of Putin's job as president, he told Kommersant FM, fewer people named him outright when asked to identify politicians they trust the most.

"It would be a big exaggeration to say that trust in politicians is limited by those who remember them unprompted," Fyodorov said.

Another state survey conducted at the request of the Kremlin said that less than half of Russian respondents would vote for Putin if elections were held this weekend.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more