Chairman of the Russian State Duma: “Wherever Putin is, there is Russia”

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

“Putin means Russia”

“When there is Putin, there is Russia. When there is no Putin, there is no Russia.”

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 popular among Russian politicians 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 worth noting that what Putin has done is comparable to the period of (Russian President) Boris Yeltsin. It is impossible to jump immediately from the post-perestroika abyss. There is not much time. However, my friends and I have full refrigerators, we spend holidays at resorts, many people have moved to new apartments, everyone has cars. 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 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 remember when they couldn’t feed themselves and their families. That’s no longer the case and that should be seen as a great success, not something that comes naturally,” said Gleb Pavlovsky, an expert on political technology.

Excellent quality

Painting depicting President Putin wearing a military 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 did not receive monthly salaries or benefits.

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 characterize President Putin, many Russians said: “courage”, “decision”, “strength”, “confidence”, “bravery”.

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

Both of these 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 confronting 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 mistake

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

Can someone like President Putin make mistakes in the public eye? It seems likely. But many Russians don't seem to think so.

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

According to the results of several surveys, President Putin's biggest flaw in the public's eyes is that he "doesn't know how ordinary people live." President Putin doesn't use the internet, social media, 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 salary 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 many similar stories, but he has remained unscathed,” said political analyst Mikhail Vinogradov.