Public image of Vladimir Putin
[4] Observers see Putin's high approval ratings as a consequence of the significant improvements in living standards and Russia's reassertion of itself on the world scene that has occurred during his period of office.
[7] In January 2013, at the time of 2011–2013 Russian protests, Putin's approval rating fell to 62%, the lowest figure since 2000 and a ten-point drop over two years.
Newsweek reported in June 2017 that "An opinion poll by the Moscow-based Levada Center indicated that 67 percent held Putin personally responsible for high-level corruption".
[21] Levada poll results published in September 2018 showed Putin's personal trustworthiness levels at 39% (decline from 59% in November 2017)[22] with the main contributing factor being the presidential support of the unpopular pension reform and economic stagnation.
[23][24] In October 2018, two thirds of Russians surveyed in Levada poll agreed that "Putin bears full responsibility for the problems of the country", which has been attributed[25] to decline of a popular belief in "good tsar and bad boyars", a traditional attitude towards justifying failures of the ruling hierarchy in Russia.
[50] The Dalai Lama criticized Putin's foreign policy practices, claiming it to be responsible for isolating Russia from the rest of the world.
[58] Among Putin-branded products are Putinka vodka, the PuTin brand of canned food, Gorbusha Putina caviar, and a collection of T-shirts with his image.
[61][62][63][64][65] Putin has created a cult of personality for himself as an outdoorsy, sporty, tough guy public image, demonstrating his physical capabilities and taking part in unusual or dangerous acts, such as extreme sports and interaction with wild animals.
"[67] Such photo ops are part of a public relations approach that, according to Wired, "deliberately cultivates the macho, take-charge superhero image".
[58] The British tabloid Daily Express has commented that this cultivated image runs counter to the reality of Putin's modest physical stature,[68] his height being officially reported as 170 cm (5 ft 7 in),[69] and some of the activities used to promote his virile prowess have been criticized for involving deception or being completely staged.
Notable examples of Putin's macho adventures include:[70] On 11 December 2010, at a concert organized for a children's charity in Saint Petersburg, Putin sang Blueberry Hill with Maceo Parker's jazz band and played a little piano of it and of the Russian patriotic song С чего начинается Родина from his favourite spy movie The Shield and the Sword.
The concert was attended by various Hollywood and European stars such as Kevin Costner, Sharon Stone, Alain Delon, and Gérard Depardieu.
[100][101] Putin also played or sang "С чего начинается Родина" on a number of other occasions,[102] such as a meeting with the Russian spies deported from the U.S., including Anna Chapman.
Putin's picture depicted a hoarfrost pattern (Russian: Узор, illustrating the Cyrillic letter У) on a window with curtains sewn with traditional Ukrainian ornaments.
[125] Putin was portrayed by internet personality Nice Peter in his YouTube series Epic Rap Battles of History, in Season 2's finale episode, "Rasputin vs. Stalin" (aired on 22 April 2013).
On 14 June 2014, Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia cited the chant in front of the cameras during an anti-Russian rally at Russia's Embassy in Kyiv.
[127] In the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, leaders at the 48th G7 summit ridiculed Putin's photo ops—particularly his manly, bare-chested photographs with airbrushed muscles—including Boris Johnson.
