Rating of President Putin started to grow since active publicity about Olympic Games preparations in Sochi. Notwithstanding the huge material expenditures incurred by Russia and consequently by taxpayers rating of Putin had started to grow since 2014 and now it is at the highest historical level. It should be noted, that according to the Associated Press Agency Olympic Games cost to Russia 214 bln rubles which fifteen times as much as Olympic Games in Vancouver.

 According to VCIOM (All-Russia Public Opinion Research Center) public recognition of the President’s policy increased to 61% in January 2014, but in autumn 2013 Putin’s poll numbers was just 53% on the background of situation with mayoral candidate electoral campaign in Moscow and nationalistic protests in Pugachyov and Birulyovo regions. In the period of Olympic Games a national idea was based on the active mass media propaganda of Russian Olympic teams’ achievements and gains. A half of fans (52%) felt a proud in our teams’ play during the Olympics period. Upon the forecast of many Russian political experts, a rejoicing in Olympiad had to be as bright as possible as soon as Russian people would feel the rise in prices at the essential products due to Olympic Games and a scale of economic losses would be more notable.

However, “Olympic” rejoicing was  followed by “Crimean” one: the fact of Crimea accession to the territory of Russian Federation and assurance in infringement of Russian-speaking people rights in Ukraine caused a new pulse of President Putin strategy public approval. Pursuant to VCIOM data as at July 2014 the great majority of Russian people believe that there is a peril to Russian speaking population in Ukraine. Only 7% of poll numbers took an opposite opinion. President Putin rating got up to 87%, 84% of them believe that Putin must defend the interests of Russian speaking population of Ukraine. And this when the majority of Russian people consider Crimea accession as absolutely democratic procedure and the same position could be seen in President oratory. Upon the results of Crimea accession to the Russian Federation President Putin stated that “referendum was held in Crimea in strict accordance with democratic procedures and international legal regulations”. References to the feelings and emotions of Russian people, and to the national proud and patriotism caused an “effect of post-imperial syndrome” in public conscience. In the conditions of still weak democracy, this syndrome becomes the main factor in approval of governing political elite’s activity. Battle-cry concerning to the “historical restoration of justice” became the most usable and efficient. Forecasts of political and social analysts that government rating would fall down as a result of economic sanctions passed by West and USA against the Russia and decline in public material well-being do not seem much convincing.

Polling data show that the public conscience is imbued with pursuit of being involved in historical event and reclamation of Russian imperial reputation on the world stage even though the decline in public material well-being is the cost of that. Levada-Center research shows that now in Russia there is “protest calm” and almost all the indicators of public intension “go to the barricades” are the lowest at the historical point of view and this is when there were some protests at the Bolotnaya square in 2011-2012.

Despite the growing economic and political isolation of Russia from the developed countries, the Kremlin is still keeping its political strategy. In addition, Russian population is ready to pay out of the pocket and support the decisions taken by Kremlin for a sake of imperial status reclamation.

Evgenia Iskakova, political analyst