Ratings and their sociological analysis

This paper analyzes the main drivers of the rapidly increased rating of Vladimir V. Putin’s activities as president of Russia during the last year. They are: the successful Olympic Games, the reunion with Crimea, and the Western sanctions as a response to the announcement and practical realization of long-term Russian interests. This article stresses that the successful and independent international Russian policy should be strengthened by a powerful and independent domestic policy. Using a multidimensional view, the paper aims to clarify the real essence of power’s domestic activities in Russia. For this purpose, three major questions will be answered: What are the features of the present-day power in Russia? Which functions does it really fulfill, and how is it realized? What is the real but not virtual attitude to the power, as experienced by citizens? The responses to these questions are based upon representative interviews with citizens in one of Russian regions. The interviews took place at the end of 2013.