Chairman of the Russian House of Representatives: "Wherever there is Putin, there is Russia"

President Putin at his inauguration ceremony at the Kremlin in 2018. Photo: Reuters

“Putin means Russia”

“When Putin is there, Russia is there. When Putin is not there, Russia is not there.”

The above statement quickly received approval from President Putin's supporters. The owner of this statement is Vyacheslav Volodin - Chairman of the Russian State Duma.

However, viewing President Putin as “the living embodiment of Russia” is not only a popular thought among Russian politicians – those who support the Kremlin boss. Based on the survey results, many Russians also agree with this view.

To ordinary people, President Putin is seen as the “protector” of Russia’s stability and the man who brought Russia together after the painful collapse of the Soviet Union.

“It is important to appreciate that what Putin has done is comparable to the period of (Russian President) Boris Yeltsin. It is impossible to jump immediately from the depths of the post-perestroika period. There is not much time. However, my friends and I have a full fridge, we also spend holidays at resorts, many people have moved to new apartments, everyone has a car. These are things that people could not even dream of before the Putin era,” Yury Bakhaev, a tour guide, commented online.

“We should start thinking about hoarding money because Putin will not be in power forever. The next president will most likely be from the liberal opposition and we could go back to the 90s or worse,” said Alexander Rybakov, 57.

“People should remember a time when they could not feed themselves and their families. That is no longer the case and it should be seen as a great success, not something that happened by default,” said Gleb Pavlovsky, an expert on political technology.

Excellent quality

Painting depicts President Putin wearing a martial arts uniform in Crimea. Photo: AFP

According to Pavlovsky, there were times when President Putin's popularity increased due to the painful memories of Russian people about the 1990s, when they were not paid salaries or monthly allowances.

In Russia, the word “muzhik” is used to describe a tough, strong-willed person. Describing someone as a “muzhik” is the highest compliment. Many Russians have used the word to describe President Putin.

When asked what characteristics describe President Putin, many Russians said: “courage”, “decisiveness”, “strength”, “confidence”, “bravery”.

Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 was a major event in Russia. After this event, President Putin’s approval rating remained at 80% and increased for a long time. It reached a historic high of 90% in 2015 when Russia began its military campaign in Syria.

Both of the above events have turned President Putin into a real “muzhik” in the eyes of the Russian people.

“By taking back Crimea, we rebelled against the international community and acted contrary to Western views. Russians have the feeling that their country is against the whole world. In the eyes of most Russians, this makes Russia a great power and Putin a strong leader who never gives up,” said Alexey Levinson, head of socio-cultural research at the Levada Center.

Make no mistakes

Mr. Putin speaks to supporters in Moscow in 2018. Photo: Reuters

Can someone like President Putin make mistakes in the public eye? It is highly likely. However, many Russians do not seem to think so.

In nearly 20 years in power, President Putin’s approval ratings have rarely been dented by domestic political crises. Instead, people often blame his cabinet of ministers for “failing to carry out” the president’s instructions.

According to the results of some surveys, President Putin's biggest shortcoming in the public's eyes is that he "doesn't know how ordinary people live." President Putin doesn't use the internet, social networks, or even has a personal cell phone. He receives information from documents prepared by his assistants. Therefore, many people believe that if President Putin doesn't know something, it's because his assistants don't tell him.

President Putin’s approval rating has only dropped five times in recent years. However, the first four drops were not as sharp as the most recent one.

Most experts believe that because President Putin supports the controversial wage reform plan, which is an extremely sensitive issue for the Russian people, his approval rating has dropped.

However, the recent decline is believed to be temporary. “There have been similar stories in the past, but he has remained unscathed,” said political analyst Mikhail Vinogradov.