April 12, 2026

A Rough Patch for Putin?


A Rough Patch for Putin?
Putin, gesturing his estimated approval rating. The Russian Life files.

A recent report by Russia's publicly-backed public research foundation FOM showed that President Putin's approval rating as of late March 2026 were at 71% — a paltry number for a leader who usually scores upwards of 80%.

This marks the lowest level of public trust in Putin since the start of Russia's  full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Experts point to a handful of potential causes: the forced culling of cattle, internet outages, and widespread repression have been wracking Russians in recent weeks. Add to this an economy teetering on the edge and a war that's lasted far longer than anyone anticipated, and falling numbers seem, if anything, overdue.

But does this mean that Putin is on his way out? Unlikely. While his popularity has taken a double-digit dip from less than a year ago, 71% is still more than a supermajority. 

Yet the fact that even state sources are reporting a decrease implies that his actual approval rating could be much, much lower.

You Might Also Like

Putin's Internet Offensive
  • April 04, 2026

Putin's Internet Offensive

The Kremlin's "spring offensive" to shutdown the mobile internet, VPN services and Telegram, has revealed a dysfunctional regime.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955