Despite sociological tweaks, Kremlin pollsters find Putin's trust rating is still declining

The state-run Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) has recorded another, albeit small decline in Vladimir Putin’s national trust rating. According to polling between June 3 and 9, the president’s trust score fell to 71.7 percent — down from 72.4 percent, a week earlier.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Meduza that weekly and even monthly fluctuations in Putin’s trust ratings are immaterial, arguing that only a “longer-term” perspective is worth considering.

In May, VTsIOM changed the question it uses to measure Vladimir Putin’s trust rating, after asking Russians “Which politicians do you trust?” yielded a 31.7-percent score for the president.