Putin’s ‘Real’ Approval Rating Falls Below 30% for First Time Since Start of War

Russia’s state pollster data suggests a sharp decline in the Kremlin leader’s trust rating, with analysts pointing to war fatigue, economic strain, and growing state control. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin takes part via videoconference from Moscow on March 27, 2026, in the opening ceremony of the Azerbaijan Musical and Drama Theater held in Derbent. (Photo by Gavriil Grigorov / POOL / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s “real” approval rating has dropped below 30% for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to data reported on Friday, April 10. According to Russia’s state pollster VtsIOM , the official approval rating fell to 67.8% in the week ending April 5 – its lowest level since February 2022, The Mosow Times reports . Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Over the past month, the figure declined by nearly five percentage points and by 10 points compared to the end of 2025. Approval ratings for the Russian government, State Duma and Federation Council also hit their lowest levels since the invasion. A separate “open question” survey – where respondents name politicians they trust without prompts – showed a steeper drop, with Putin’s trust rating falling to 29.5%. That marks a significant decline from 48.8% recorded in March 2024 and far below the peak of 71% in 2015, according to analysts cited in the report. Experts say official approval ratings may reflect fear rather than genuine support. “They are not a measure of approval, but of how many people are not afraid to say they oppose the president,” political analyst Abbas Gallyamov said. Analysts link the shift in public sentiment to several factors, including growing war fatigue, economic pressure, and increased government interference in daily life. Gulnaz Sharafutdinova, director of the Russia Institute at King’s College London, pointed to internet restrictions, failed expectations of a deal with the United States, and the prolonged impact of the war. Other Topics of Interest Zelensky Calls NATO Non-Membership ‘Historic Mistake,’ Warns Putin Seeks Further War President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine received no real security guarantees after giving up nuclear weapons and warned Russia is using diplomacy to pursue further gains. Sociologist Konstantin Gaaze said the conflict is increasingly affecting everyday life inside Russia. “The war is penetrating deeper into the heart of European Russia – drones, strikes on oil refineries – it all accumulates over time,” he said. Another sociologist, Elena Koneva, described public support for Putin as “a snowball that is beginning to melt,” warning that the trend may be gradual but significant and difficult to reverse even with increased repression. On March 26, TVP reported that less than a quarter of Russian citizens want their country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to continue , an independent Russian pollster has found. The non-governmental Levada research center found that just 24% of respondents thought military operations in Ukraine should continue as of mid-February, the lowest support since the center began its polling. As many as 67% of respondents said now is the right time for Russia to move to peace negotiations , 6 percentage points up from January this year, Levada reported. The Levada Center was formed in 2003 when researchers left VtsIOM, the state polling agency, after Moscow replaced its leadership, seeking a separate institute to continue their work outside direct government control . Yuliia Zavadska is a news writer at Kyiv Post. She has experience in breaking news coverage, fact-checking, and digital journalism, with a focus on fast, accurate reporting and clear storytelling. Before joining Kyiv Post, she worked as a news feed editor for several leading Ukrainian media outlets.