Public image of Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin is one of the most talked-about leaders in the world. As the president of Russia, his actions have caused many different reactions, both in his own country and around the globe. People have strong feelings about him because of the decisions he has made during his time in office.

According to a survey by the Russian non-governmental organization Levada Center, many people in Russia approved of Putin at the start of 2023. This showed that many in Russia still supported him at that time.

Ratings and polls

Domestic

Public opinion surveys show that Vladimir Putin’s approval rating was 60% in July 2020. His popularity grew from 31% in August 1999 to 80% in November 1999 and stayed above 65% during his first time as leader. People think his high ratings are because life got better and Russia became stronger during his time in office.

In January 2013, during protests, Putin’s rating fell to 62%, the lowest since 2000. In August 2014, after Russia took control of Crimea, his approval rating went up to 85.9%, a six-year high. In February 2015, Putin was the world’s most popular leader. In June 2015, his approval rating reached 89%, the highest ever.

In May 2020, Putin’s approval rating dropped to 59% in a poll by the Levada Center. In May 2021, 33% of people in Moscow said they would vote for Putin, and 40% outside Moscow. A survey in October 2021 found that 53% of people trusted Putin. Some think there is a generational struggle between younger and older Russians about Putin, with younger people more likely to disagree with him and older people more likely to agree with what Russian state media says. In December 2020, only 20% of Russians aged 18–24 supported Putin.

After the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian TV called it a “special military operation.” In late February 2022, a survey found that 59% of people supported this operation. Among 18-to-24-year-olds, only 29% supported it.

International

See also: Russophilia and Russophobia

A 2017 survey showed Putin’s international reputation improved between 2015 and 2017, with 43% of people viewing him favorably compared to 33% in 2015. He was very popular in some non-Western countries, like Vietnam, where 89% approved of him in 2017. But after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, approval for Putin dropped to very low levels around the world.

Views have changed a lot since 2017. For example, in Romania in 2022, only 3% of people had a positive view of Putin, while 70% had a negative one. In March 2022, 97% of Ukrainians viewed Putin unfavorably. A 2023 poll by Pew Research Center found that 87% of people in 24 countries did not trust Putin, with only 11% feeling confident in him. 82% of people have negative views of Russia.

Assessments

Vladimir Putin was chosen as Time magazine's Person of the Year in 2007 because he had a big impact on world events. In April 2008, he was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Some people liked Putin for helping bring order to Russia, while others worried about his rules limiting free speech and fair elections.

Different leaders and writers have talked about Putin. Some compared him to famous characters, and others were concerned about how his leadership affected Russia and the world.

Brands

Vladimir Putin's name and picture have appeared on many products and advertisements. Some examples include Putinka vodka, PuTin brand canned food, Gorbusha Putina caviar, and T-shirts showing his image. In 2016, a company called Caviar made a special version of iPhone 7s from strong Damascus steel named Supremo Putin Damascus, which had a gold picture of Putin on it. There is also a beer called Putin Huylo (or Putin Huilo) made by a brewery in Lviv, Ukraine, and by other breweries around the world.

Physical condition

Vladimir Putin has built an image of being very active and strong. He has shown his skills in many challenging activities, such as extreme sports and working with wild animals. For example, in 2007, a big photo showed Putin without a shirt on during a vacation in the Siberian mountains. These kinds of photos are part of a plan to show him as a strong leader.

Putin has done many impressive things, like flying in fast airplanes, showing martial arts skills, and going on adventures in nature. He has also gone deep under water in special boats and helped fight fires from the air. These activities help create an image of Putin as someone who is very capable and tough.

Singing and painting

In December 2010, Vladimir Putin sang a song called Blueberry Hill with a jazz band. He also played piano at a concert for a children’s charity in Saint Petersburg. He sang another song called Grass by the Home. Famous actors like Kevin Costner and Sharon Stone were there.

Putin painted a picture called "A Pattern on a Hoarfrost-Encrusted Window" during a Christmas fair in December 2008. The painting showed a frosty window and was sold at a charity event. It was part of a special art project.

In popular culture

A Russian movie called A Kiss not for Press came out in 2008. Some people say the movie is about Lyudmila, who was married to Vladimir Putin.

People sometimes say that characters from stories look like Putin. For example, Dobby, a house elf from the Harry Potter films, and Daniel Craig, who plays James Bond, are said to look like him. There are many songs about Putin.

Putin has been in jokes, comics, and online videos. He was part of a YouTube series called Epic Rap Battles of History. There are also films about Putin, like The Putin Interviews and Putin's Witnesses.

Putinisms

Not to be confused with Putinism.

Main article: Vladimir Putin's language

Vladimir Putin has created many famous sayings, called putinisms. Many of these sayings were first spoken during his yearly question-and-answer sessions. In these sessions, Putin answers questions from reporters and people all over Russia. Putin is known for speaking in a strong and direct way.