Sociologists Have Recorded a Collapse in russians’ Confidence in the Economy, the Army, and the Government

The polling firm Gallup has recorded the worst sentiment among russians regarding their own economy in the last twenty years of observations. A survey conducted from March to May 2026 showed that 60% of respondents believe the economic situation in their city or region is deteriorating.

It is noteworthy that between 2010 and 2016, approximately 40% of russians reported no changes at all each year, considering the situation to be stable.

Sentiment regarding their own standard of living is no better. 56% of russians have stated that they are living worse than before, which is also a record high over the past twenty years and the first time such an assessment has become the majority view.

The labor market, which still looked relatively healthy just last year, has also taken a turn for the worse. The share of those who describe the current climate as bad for finding a job has risen from 46% to 58%. According to researchers, unemployment in russia formally remains low, but this is a result of labor shortages caused by mobilization, not a sign of a healthy economy.

Trust in state institutions has declined even more sharply. Over the course of the year, the trust rating for the army has fallen from 79% to 66%, for the government – from 67% to 53%, and for the fairness of elections – from 56% to 40%. This is the largest annual drop since records began. The assessment of media freedom has plummeted even more dramatically: from 59% to 34%, a drop of 25 points in a single year. After several years of relative stability, which had lasted since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, russians’ dissatisfaction has extended far beyond purely economic issues.

The Victory Day parade in moscow in May – modest by comparison with previous years – served as clear confirmation that the quick victory over Ukraine promised by the kremlin never materialized. After the invasion began – when moscow expected to capture Kyiv in a matter of days – russians experienced a characteristic effect of rallying around the government, and assessments of many areas of life temporarily improved. More than four years later, this enthusiasm has given way to fatigue and frustration. Even russian officials have recently acknowledged that the economy is overheating, and this overheating is having an increasingly noticeable impact on public sentiment. The longer the war grinds on, the less public patience the kremlin can count on.