Recent polling indicates a drop in Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval ratings, coinciding with Ukraine's unexpected offensive in the Kursk region.
A 6,4% Decline
According to the Public Opinion Research Center (Vtsiom), only 75.5% of Russians express confidence in Putin, a decrease from 81.5% reported at the end of July. Nearly 20% of respondents indicated they do not trust the president, while the remainder chose not to respond, according to Digi24.
The shift in public sentiment follows Ukraine's military actions that took Russian forces by surprise, particularly in the sparsely defended Kursk province. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian troops now control over 1,300 square kilometers in this area.
The recent survey, conducted between August 26 and September 1, suggests that the Russian military's inability to defend its territory may be eroding public confidence in Putin's leadership. Additionally, 72% of those surveyed approve of his governance, which is a decline of 6.4 percentage points from late July.
Weakend Russian Forces
Following Ukraine's offensive launched on August 6, their forces advanced several dozen kilometers into Russian territory. In response, Russia deployed reinforcements to stabilize the front, leading to a stalemate where neither side has made significant gains recently.
Zelensky stated that Ukraine controls approximately 100 settlements in Kursk and that this offensive has compelled Russia to redirect tens of thousands of troops from the eastern front.
Conversely, Putin claimed that by engaging some of its most trained units in Kursk, Ukraine has weakened its forces on the eastern front, allowing Russia to make advancements in regions such as Donetsk.
Ukraine's military chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, noted in an interview that the operation in Kursk is ongoing and is hindering Russian advances in critical eastern regions. He highlighted that there have been no recent advances from the enemy toward Pokrovsk, indicating that their strategy is proving effective.
