Levada Center poll: 54% of Russians believe the country's development path is correct

According to a July poll by the Levada Center, 54% of Russians believe that things in Russia are moving in the right direction. However, publicly expressing personal opinions on the country's politics is becoming increasingly dangerous.

Approval of government institutions and rating dynamics

Specifically, compared to last month, the number of those who support the correct course of action increased by two percentage points. However, the share of those who believe the country's path is incorrect fell from 35% to 29% over the month.

Furthermore, Vladimir Putin's approval ratings have halted their decline and remained at 74%. Consequently, the decline in ratings that sociologists had been recording since August 2025 has ceased.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin's approval rating also remained unchanged at 63%. This resulted in an increase in approval for the government (to 61%), the State Duma (to 52%), and governors (to 67%). Meanwhile, Putin, Lavrov, and Mishustin lead the list of respondents' personal trust.

Context: Security of sociological research in Russia

The data was obtained by sociologists during a survey conducted from July 21 to 28, 2026, in 50 regions of Russia. However, analysts note that it is unsafe for respondents to answer interviewers' questions openly.

For example, Muscovite Yuri Kokhovets received a five-year prison sentence for making critical statements during a street survey. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies regularly initiate criminal cases for criticizing the government, even in private conversations and chats.