Page 10 - bne IntelliNews Russia OUTLOOK 2025

the authorities continue to come up with new ways to leave the handful of foreign agents still in Russia with fewer and fewer sources of income.
Nevertheless, most Russians, after initial concerns, have thrown themselves behind the Kremlin and support the war. Their attitude can be summed up as: “Starting a war was a stupid idea, but now we are fighting we don’t want to lose.” The Kremlin has effectively sold the war to the general public as an attack on Russia by Nato.
Polls in December showed 82% of Russians trust Putin and a total of 51% of those polled said they approved of the Russian government’s handling of the country (a 7% decrease), while 57% approved of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s performance (a 4% decrease). Putin’s popularity has actually been boosted by the war from around 60% pre-war as he taps Russian national pride and patriotism, which is at an all-time high.
Perceptions of the quality of life and confidence in the future have also reached new all-time highs, according to a poll by the independent pollster, the Levada Center. Public sentiment in Russia regarding quality of life has rebounded to near-record levels after a slight decline last year, with over half of respondents expressing satisfaction with their lives, according to the Levada Center.
Confidence in the future also surged, with 66% of Russians expressing optimism, a return to the near-maximum levels observed in May 2022 (67%). However, 31% remain uncertain about the future, a figure consistent with spring 2022 lows.
These strong results are associated with the steady increase in real disposable incomes up to a record 9.6% in July that has created a new war middle class. It remains to be seen what happens to these results when the widely expected economic downturn arrives in 2025, but for most, 2024 was a very pleasant year of prosperity, carefully shielded from the war by the Kremlin.
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