MOSCOW. July 12 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval and confidence ratings have reached their highest levels in 2007.

In December, 87% of polled Russian said they approve of their president's job, which is the highest indicator in the current year, the Yury Levada Analytical Center told Interfax on Wednesday after conducting a poll on December 7-10.

The poll findings partially reflect the Russians' response to Putin's decision to back First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev nominated by four parties for Russian presidency.

The president's approval rating grew from 49% in January to the current 61%, sociologists said.

The government and its leaders are gradually regaining people's trust, the Levada Center survey shows.

According to the poll conducted among 1,600 Russians in 128 towns across 46 Russian regions, 53% of Russians now approve of the overall work of the Cabinet of Ministers. In November, its work was rated positively and negatively by 48% of Russians (in October 46% and 50% accordingly).

Since early 2007, the percentage of Russians, who believe the government will be able to improve the situation in the country in the near future, grew from 26% to 35%.

Most Russians said they approved of the work of prime minister Viktor Zubkov and his two deputies, Sergei Ivanov and Dmitry Medvedev.

Sixty-two percent said they were satisfied and 27% were dissatisfied (in mid-November the proportion was 59% and 30% respectively).

Sergei Ivanov's approval rating rose from 64% in November to 66% in December, Medvedev's rating - from 63% to 65%, the Levada Center said.

Medvedev and Ivanov are second and third after Putin, with confidence ratings of 21% each, the sociologists said.

Other politicians among the ten most popular in Russia are emergencies minister Sergei Shoigu (trusted by 18%), prime minister Zybkov (16%), liberal democrats leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky (11%), communists leader Gennady Zyuganov (8%), St. Petersburg governor Valentina Matviyenko and Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov (each trusted by 7%), Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov (6%).

Only 7% of respondents trust none of the Russian politicians, the poll shows.

The margin of error of the poll is 3%.