Kenneth Glad
Several surveys point to a shift in public attitudes after years of conflict. The figures suggest growing concern over conditions at home.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approval stood at 74 percent in June 2026, according to Levada Center polling reported by The New Voice of Ukraine. The outlet described the result as a five-point monthly fall and the sharpest drop since September 2022, when Russia announced mobilization for the war against Ukraine.
The same polling found a steeper decline in confidence about Russia’s direction. Fifty-two percent of respondents said the country was moving the right way, down from 61 percent in May. Disapproval of Putin’s performance rose from 15 percent to 21 percent.
Those numbers were reinforced by separate FOM polling cited by Newsweek, which found trust in Putin at 69 percent after a June 21 survey of 1,500 voting-age respondents across 51 Russian regions.
The figure was five points lower than the previous week and, according to the outlet, the lowest level recorded since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
Several polls show strain
FOM also found that distrust of Putin had risen to 18 percent, while approval of his job performance slipped to 71 percent. The figures remain high, but the downward movement is notable in a system where state-aligned polling usually reflects strong Kremlin support.
Russian polling also carries special uncertainty. Public criticism of the authorities can bring legal consequences, meaning respondents may be cautious when discussing the president, the war or the economy. That makes movement across multiple surveys more revealing than any single number.
Russian opposition politician Aleksei Miniailo, whose research group Chronicles conducts independent surveys, told Newsweek: “People assume that people who reply ‘I approve’ to a pollster’s question, genuinely support Putin’s policies, but it’s not the case.”
He added: “In fact a lot of people in this perceived majority want things that are opposite to what Putin is doing.”
Domestic problems are harder to ignore
The weaker polling comes as everyday problems become more visible. Newsweek cited Gallup data showing that 60 percent of Russians believe economic conditions are deteriorating, the first time in 20 years that a majority has taken that view.
Russia’s wartime economy has relied heavily on defense spending, but growth forecasts have been lowered. Labor shortages have also helped keep inflationary pressure high, adding strain for households already facing rising prices.
Fuel has become another pressure point. Ukrainian drone strikes have targeted Russian energy infrastructure, and rationing has been introduced in dozens of regions. Putin acknowledged the impact in comments to Russian state television, saying the attacks “do create problems,” while insisting shortages were not critical.
The New Voice of Ukraine reported that concerns about long-range strikes and disruption at major airports have begun to rival anxiety over the broader course of the war. The conflict is increasingly being felt through transport delays, fuel access and ordinary routines, not only through battlefield updates.
September vote raises stakes
The surveys come ahead of Russia’s State Duma election in September 2026. Meduza reported that Putin signed a decree setting the vote for September 20, while broader election calendars list voting across September 18 to 20.
According to Newsweek, United Russia has moved to link itself more directly with Putin before the vote. Meduza reported that the ruling party is presenting itself as “the president’s party” for the first time since 2007.
The strategy may help the Kremlin project unity, but it also makes the party more dependent on Putin’s personal standing at a moment when several indicators have softened.
Putin remains Russia’s dominant political figure, and the polls still show majority backing. But the latest figures suggest that economic pressure, fuel disruption and fatigue from the war are becoming harder for the Kremlin to keep outside the political debate.
Sources: The New Voice of Ukraine, Newsweek, Levada Center, Meduza.
