Western sanctions, continuously imposed by the United States for the past nine years, appear to have little impact on the Russian public’s sense of security. According to a new survey by the highly regarded independent Levada Center (designated a “foreign agent” by the Russian government in 2016), nearly two-thirds of respondents said they are not concerned about Western restrictions. This indicates that the economic pressure strategy relied upon by Washington is not delivering the expected effect on the Russian public mindset.
According to Der Standard, Western rhetoric against Russia is becoming increasingly aggressive. In response to President Donald Trump’s recent statement that “Putin is playing with fire” and that “truly terrible things” are happening in Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, replied bluntly: “I know of only one truly terrible thing — World War III. I hope Trump understands that.”
What Russians Think About Sanctions
In February 2025, the Levada Center conducted a nationwide survey involving 1,615 Russian citizens aged 18 and above, across 137 municipalities in 50 regions of the Russian Federation. According to Levada, 64% of respondents reported that they are not worried about Western sanctions. The interviews were conducted in-person, at the respondents’ homes — a format that, while informative, does raise some questions about the anonymity of responses.
What does raise concern, however, is the freezing of Russian assets abroad. Still, a majority of respondents stated that sanctions had not caused them personal problems.
Those who are most worried include the elderly (31%) and low-income respondents (38%). On the other hand, only 14% of young people under the age of 24 expressed concern — especially those without financial difficulties.
The main conclusion of the survey: despite sanctions, most Russians believe their country should continue its current political course.
Real Inconveniences: Not Sanctions, but Credit Cards
One of the biggest practical challenges for Russians today is not the sanctions themselves, but the inability to use Visa and Mastercard payment systems inside Russia — or, conversely, the fact that Russian-issued credit cards are no longer accepted in most foreign countries. This presents serious difficulties, especially for those traveling abroad.
Additionally, 18% of respondents reported inconvenience due to restrictions on Russian airline flights to Western countries, while only 6% expressed concern over personal sanctions against major Russian businessmen.
Overall, despite mounting external pressure, President Vladimir Putin continues to enjoy a public approval rating exceeding 80%.
Even so, it’s worth noting that public opinion polling in an authoritarian system should be interpreted with caution. As Levada Center director Denis Volkov emphasized in an analytical article published in January 2025, there’s no evidence to suggest that only pro-government individuals participate in these surveys. “This indicates that Russian polling, from a methodological perspective, remains a valid research tool,” he concluded.
Trust in Trump and Hopes for Normalization
Interestingly, many Russians still express trust in President Donald Trump when it comes to restoring peace, according to the same survey. Half of those surveyed believe that Russia’s relations with the West will normalize after the conflict ends, and more than 50% said they support strengthening ties with Western nations.
This suggests that, despite ongoing hostilities at the political level, ordinary Russians remain open to re-engagement with the international community.
Founded in 1987, the Levada Center is currently the only major polling agency in Russia that operates independently of the government or state funding. While its “foreign agent” label has complicated its operations, it continues to serve as a crucial source of insight into Russian public opinion — both for domestic observers and the international community.
This article was prepared based on materials published by Der Standard. The author does not claim authorship of the original text but presents their interpretation of the content for informational purposes.
The original article can be found at the following link: Der Standard.
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