This book offers an analysis of Putin's approval ratings from the fall of the USSR to the present day. It considers contemporary materials, statistics and a discourse analysis to assess how Putin's approval ratings have stayed so high despite the current economic turndown. Through a comparative analysis with Yeltsin's time in office, the author demonstrates that higher levels of security, a better standard of living, increasingly assertive foreign policy and greater centralization of power led to positive approval ratings for Putin—absent characteristics during Yeltsin's terms—and fostered 'positive national self-esteem' in Russia, a national sentiment that has persisted through current economic difficulties. Recommended reading for academics and students of Russian studies in the field of International Relations, Foreign Policy and Comparative Politics.