Putin’s approval rating grew most among Russians with low income — poll

The approval rating of Russian President Vladimir Putin is at the peak level of 87-88% and has remained high for 18 months, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) said. The results of the VTsIOM poll have been presented in TASS on Tuesday. The company’s researchers said that an increase in the president's approval rating had been registered amid developments in Crimea in the spring of 2014. Putin’s rating began to grow in March climbing to 86% in May (from 64% percent in February). In October it amounted to 87%. The sociologists noted that the Russian president’s approval rating has remained persistently high over the past 18 months exceeding 84%. It has maintained high positions for 16 years never falling below 60% since 1999, judging by monthly averages. According to VTsIOM, the largest increase in Putin’s approval ratings over the past two years has been registered among the least well off citizens - from 45% in November 2013 to 82% in May 2015. Among respondents with average income Putin’s approval rating grew from 63 to 88%. "Among the supporters of the Russian Communist Party and the LDPR (the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia) these numbers grew from 31-39% in November 2013 to 82-85% in May 2015," VTsIOM said. The polls were conducted from 1999 to 2015 in 46 regions of Russia, with 1,600 people surveyed during each poll. The margin of error does not exceed 3.5%