Only 14% Back Putin's Foreign Policy, Poll Finds

A recent poll by independent group Chronicles discovered that only 14% of Russians actually support President Vladimir Putin's foreign policies. This result is surprising because most Russians say they support Putin overall. The survey talked to 800 people and had a small margin of error. It showed that many people who approve of Putin don't support his actions, like the war in Ukraine and his anti-Western stance. Experts warn that getting true public opinion in Russia is tricky due to the government's crackdown on dissent. But groups like Chronicles, started by opposition politician Aleksei Miniailo, are trying to get a real picture. They ask multiple questions to understand people's views better. The survey found that 78% of people approve of Putin, which is similar to other polls. But when asked about specific actions, only 14% of those who voted for Putin and approved of him supported his foreign policy. Miniailo noted that many Russians support Putin because they think it's what a good citizen should do. The government spends a lot of resources to create this view. People in the survey wanted different things. For example, 61% wanted negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and 43% wanted to restore ties with the West. This shows that many don't agree with Putin's policies. Even those who support Putin want the government to focus on domestic issues. Miniailo said that in authoritarian regimes, people don't have much power to change the government. Putin is planning to spend a lot of the state budget on the military in the coming years. This is causing concerns because it might take away from domestic social and economic problems. Miniailo pointed out that Putin says he wants to improve Russia but isn't doing enough.