The Economist: Vladimir unbound
A man wears a T-shirt featuring the image of Russian President Vladimir Putin as he attends the Manchester Beer and Cider Festival in the Manchester Central exhibition centre in Manchester, northwest England, on Jan. 21.
Chants of “Russia without Putin!” echoed through Moscow four years ago. Vladimir Putin’s choreographed return to the presidency and vote tampering in parliamentary elections brought thousands to the streets; his approval ratings fell to 63 percent. But after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, those ratings soared to nearly 90 percent and have not come back to earth since.
