Putin facing popularity crisis in lead-up to Russian elections

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks during a United Russia party congress in Moscow over the weekend. Photo / AP

Vladimir Putin is in the midst of a popularity crisis - just days before Russians head to the polls.

Putin - who is standing for his third term as president - and his party, United Russia, have copped some flak in the lead-up to Sunday's (Monday, New Zealand time) parliamentary elections.

At Putin's Putin's last major public appearance, he was greeted with booing and jeers. This was a first in Putin's political career, according to Time, and it seemed to leave him shaken.

When Putin was due to speak at the same venue on November, he did not show up. Three days later he was scheduled to appear at a stadium in his hometown of St. Petersburg, but instead he sent his deputy, Dmitri Kozak. When Kozak took the stage, he was nearly drowned out by the din of booing, whistling and shouts of "Shame!"

A survey released by the Levada Center polling agency showed Putin now inspires less public sympathy than at any point in his career.

The number of respondents who felt "affinity" for Putin has fallen by nearly half since 2008, from 40 per cent to 24 per cent. In his current post as Prime Minister, his rating remains a comfortable 61 per cent, but that is down from 79 per cent a year ago.

Putin's famous popularity stunts have been unable to stop the slump. Once a Russian action hero - renown for swimming in Siberian rivers, riding on horseback and hunting wild game - Putin's latest adventures have reportedly started making him the butt of jokes.

When in August he donned a wetsuit and supposedly plucked two ancient amphorae from the bottom of a shallow lake, Russians were affronted by the insult to their intelligence. Putin's spokesman later admitted it had all been staged.

- HERALD ONLINE