Putin’s trust rating drops below 55 percent for the first time since early 2020

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trust rating dropped from 55 percent to 53 percent during the week of January 17–24, according to the latest survey results from the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM). This is the lowest trust rating Putin has seen since January 2020 — over the course of last year, it hovered between 55 and 60 percent.

Meanwhile, the proportion of respondents who gave Putin a negative trust rating grew from 33 percent to 35 percent — the highest number seen in the past 10 months. Another 12 percent of respondents found it difficult to answer the question.

The survey was conducted from January 22–24, 2021. The FOM polled 3,000 respondents from 207 towns and cities in 73 of Russia’s regions.

The FOM conducted its survey on public opinion about Putin against the backdrop of Alexey Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation releasing its “Putin’s Palace” investigation (January 19) and the mass arrests that accompanied the countrywide protests opposing Navalny’s detention (January 23).