War in Ukraine: Putin’s Popularity Figures in Russia Despite Sanctions

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The week marked by commotion for the victims of Butcha and new punishments against Russian military action in Ukrainian territory ends with yet another tragedy: the death of at least 50 people. A train station in Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine – a strategic region where Moscow has been massing its troops – was hit by a missile.

The scenes of people dead or injured and the desperation of the rescue that wins the world should provoke new responses from the West against the Vladimir Putin government. Aside from the diplomatic backlash, more measures were added to the already extensive list of economic sanctions applied against Russia:

• US and UK froze assets of two Putin daughters and family members of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov;

• The European Union has approved measures against the Russian energy sector for the first time, with an embargo on coal. It is the fifth package of sanctions in the bloc.

With the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Russia became the country with the highest number of international sanctions in history. But in this period of 44 days of war, the first effects of the sanctions seem to have not shaken Putin’s popularity so far, as a report in the sheet this week.

Surveys carried out at the end of March by the Levada-Center, Russia’s independent public opinion institute, show the mood of the population about the country’s command:

• Putin Approval: jumped from 71% in February to 83%, which is tying with the peak of popularity reached in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea. Disapproval dropped from 27% to 15%;

• government approval: went from 55% in February to 70% in March. Disapproval dropped from 42% to 27%;

• Opinion on the direction of the country: the share that thinks Russia is heading in the right direction grew from 52% to 69%. Those who think otherwise went from 38% to 22%.

Caveat: Although the polls are carried out by an independent entity, the results can be influenced by the public’s fear of speaking ill of a government that punishes its critics and by the censorship of the media, which disseminate the state version of the war and the country’s situation. .

A similar phenomenon in the approval of politicians in nations hit by economic sanctions has already been noticed in countries like Venezuela. Among the reasons is the ability of governments to reverse the game and escape economic problems aggravated by sanctions.

And what do you think about the war? The same institute points out that 81% of respondents say they support Russian military actions to varying degrees and 14% say they are against it.

O pride for russia is pointed out by 51% as the dominant feeling in relation to the conflict. Since being criticized by the US for deploying troops on the border with Ukraine, Putin has appealed to a nationalist speech and accuses the West of “trying to cancel” Russia to promote “global domination”.

Do not get lost

Three curiosities about the figure of Putin presented in reports from the sheet this week:

1. Film: In his memoirs, Putin describes his fascination with the film “The Sandpit Generals” (1971). The feature directed by Hall Bartlett is an adaptation of the book “Capitães de Areia”, by Jorge Amado, and was recorded in Salvador. A sensation in the USSR at the time, the film was banned in Brazil by the dictatorship
2. Obsession: For journalist Steven Lee Myers, Putin has always been obsessed with Ukraine, due to its size, proximity and importance to the security of Russia, which he believes deserves great power. Myers is the author of “The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin” (Amarilys), the biography of the Russian leader recently released in Brazil.
3. Daughters: Included in the US and UK sanctions list, Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova and Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova are Putin’s two well-known daughters, the fruit of his 30-year marriage to former first lady Lyudmila Putina.

   The eldest, Maria Vladimirovna — her second name means “daughter of Vladimir” — is a biologist and leads Kremlin-funded genetic research programs.

   Katerina is a technology executive working for the Russian government and its defense industry. She is also known for being an acrobatic dancer.

What happened this Friday (8)

• Russia revoked registrations from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and 13 other foreign groups;

• Moscow expelled 45 Polish diplomats in retaliation for Warsaw;

• EU officials visited Butcha and promised to take action to get Ukraine into the bloc.

picture of the day

What to see and hear to understand conflict

Rescue work at the train station in Kramatorsk and reports of attacks on hospitals in Ukraine in two videos: