Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for his annual televised Q&A session, and a new poll shows Russians remain focused on two issues: the war and the economy.
According to a poll of 1,608 Russians conducted by the independent Levada Center, the top two concerns Russians want to raise with Putin are when the war will end and how they’re supposed to cope with a deteriorating economy.
About a fifth of respondents said they would ask Putin when the war in Ukraine, which the Kremlin calls a “special military operation,” would end.
Right behind the war is the economy, as another 16% say their top question is about living standards — salaries, pensions, and benefits.
These two concerns have topped Levada’s polls ahead of Putin’s annual Q&A for three years.
Beyond the top concerns, Levada found that 8% of respondents want to ask Putin about price growth and tax hikes, 6% about utilities and social services, and 5% about the healthcare system.
The anxiety comes as Russia’s inflation remains high, and the country’s massive defense spending jostles with social spending.
Putin’s televised “Direct Line” Q&A session, scheduled for Friday, comes nearly four years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, triggering sweeping Western sanctions.
Since the invasion in February 2022, the Kremlin has steered the country onto a wartime economic footing.
Heavy defense spending and state-directed investment have helped sustain headline economic growth, even as sanctions and export restrictions have reshaped trade flows.
But strains are showing: Energy export revenues have dropped in a softer oil-price environment, while high inflation continues to sap consumer demand.
Previous hourslong “Direct Line” broadcasts offer a preview of how Putin may handle the questions the Kremlin allows.
Last year, Putin acknowledged that Russia’s economy was overheating amid high inflation and warned citizens to brace for continued pressure.
However, he deflected blame, suggesting that both the central bank and the Russian federal government — formally headed by the prime minister — could have acted more decisively to prevent the surge in prices and credit growth.
Putin is also expected to hold an end-of-year news conference on Friday, where the spotlight will be on any signals he offers about the direction of the war.
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