Putin's popularity struggles ahead of Russian legislative elections

With Russia's legislative elections just over a month away, President Vladimir Putin's public approval ratings show little sign of recovery, hovering around 65.9%. This figure represents a considerable decline from the nearly 80% approval he enjoyed several months prior, according to a survey by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center.

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65.9% of Russians approve of the Kremlin chief's performance.

The dip in Putin's popularity is partly attributed to the fuel crisis, exacerbated by Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, which has reportedly reduced Russia's refining capacity to 2002 levels. Furthermore, public sentiment appears to be shifting regarding the conflict in Ukraine. A recent Levada Center poll indicated that two-thirds of Russians now advocate for a cessation of hostilities and the initiation of peace talks, with only one-third supporting the continuation of the war.

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two-thirds of Russians advocate for the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine and the beginning of peace negotiations, while only one-third of respondents support the continuation of the war.

Despite these challenges, Putin has personally taken the helm of the United Russia party's campaign for the September 20 elections, adopting the slogan 'Everything for Victory.' This marks his first time leading the party's campaign since 2007. The Kremlin is reportedly banking on low voter turnout to help United Russia retain its constitutional majority in the Duma, the lower house of parliament. This situation echoes the public backlash following the pension reform in 2018, which saw Putin's approval ratings drop significantly among key voter demographics.

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'Everything for Victory'