Putin's poll numbers skyrocket since Crimea annexation, approval at 86%

[LittleBlue]

More than half of Russians would vote for President Vladimir Putin if a snap presidential election were held, a survey published Thursday showed.

Fifty-five percent of the 1,600 adults across Russia polled about their voting intentions by the independent Levada Center last month said they would cast their ballot in favor of Putin if a snap presidential election were held the following weekend. Of those people who said they would definitely turn out to vote and who had already made up their minds who to vote for, 86 percent would choose Putin, according to the poll, which had a margin of error not exceeding 3.4 percent.

Support for Putin has skyrocketed since Russia's annexation of Crimea last March. In January 2014, 29 percent of Russian voters said they would vote for Putin in a snap election. In April, after Crimea had joined Russia's federal fold, 49 percent of Russians were ready to cast their ballots in his favor.

Putin's approval rating currently stands at 86 percent, according to the Levada Center. The president's approval rating hit a historic high of 88 percent in October, amid intense fighting between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian military forces in eastern Ukraine.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/support-for-putin-among-russian-voters-doubles/517084.html

Not sure if this source is considered legit, so here is the same data from Chicago Tribune

Putin's popularity remains near record levels at 86 percent, according to the Levada polling company. In another survey it showed the number of people who say they have no sympathy for the opposition rising to 68 percent from 59 percent three years ago.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-news-bc-russia-opposition04-20150304-story.html


So the whole "punish the people economically and they'll overthrow their bad leader" strategy isn't working very well.

[stevenleser]

1. If you are into instant gratification, you would say our strategy isn't working well. And after Iraq

was invaded in 2003, that same logic would say it was a brilliant policy that garnered support of the country for Bush.

A few years later, the full effect of Bush's Iraq policy on his administration and its popularity became clear.

A few years of his economy being in the toilet as a result of the Crimea invasion and lets see what the Russians think of Putin and his government.