Released: December 6, 2006

The Putin Popularity Score

The death-by-polonium poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Soviet spy and critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has fueled growing concerns about Putin and his efforts to roll back democratic reforms and consolidate power. But in surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center earlier this year, Putin is extraordinarily popular in Russia — even among Russians who express democratic leanings.

Read the full analysis at pewresearch.org