Vladimir Putin's approval ratings hit an all-time high

(Image credit: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

published 24 June 2015

The Western world might not be too happy with Vladimir Putin, but recent approval ratings indicate that Russians certainly seem to be.

Ever since Putin annexed Crimea in March 2014, his approval ratings have been mighty healthy in his country. And they recently jumped to their highest levels ever in his 15 years in power, reaching 89 percent, according to polls released Wednesday. Russians credit Putin with a "restoration of their place at the table of superpowers," The Washington Post reports.

Putin's ratings first jumped dramatically following the Crimean invasion, after a couple of years in which he appeared vulnerable in the face of a pro-democracy movement. They have remained high despite retaliatory Western sanctions and a drop in oil prices, both of which have damaged Russia's economy. This latest boost likely stems from Putin's recent confrontation of Western powers, in which he said that Russia planned to "supply more than 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles" to the country's nuclear force.