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SURVEY ON PUTIN'S SUCCESSES AND FAILURES

MOSCOW, April 21 (RIA Novosti) - Data distributed by the Yury Levada Analytical Center suggest that only 14% of Russians believe Vladimir Putin's five years in power have not brought any achievements whatsoever.

A poll conducted by the Center asked respondents to evaluate Putin's successes and/or failures in ten categories. The results show five policy successes, four policy failures, and one qualified success.

Eighteen percent of Russians believe that the president's main achievements are a higher standard of living and increased wages and pensions. Another 12% acknowledge these are achievements but do not believe they are his main success. Twenty-one percent of Russians regard Putin's actions in this sphere as a failure. Overall, the majority of respondents consider Putin a success in this category.

Two percent of respondents regard Putin's Chechnya policy as his main success; 9% believe this policy has been successful but is not his main achievement; and 27% consider this policy unsuccessful. Overall, respondents consider Putin's Chechnya policy a failure.

Three percent of respondents consider the president's fight against corruption his main achievement; 9% believe the fight has been a success but is not his main achievement; and 27% consider it a failure. Overall, respondents believe Putin's fight against corruption to be a failure (3% + 9% - 27% = -15%).

The country's economic development is also an issue that engendered an animated public response. Just as with Putin's Chechnya and corruption policies, the majority of respondents consider the economic development of the country a failure of the administration (7% + 7% - 19% = -5%).

Efforts to fight crime also end in failure (2% + 8% -20% = -10%).

The public also sees curbing the influence of the oligarchs as an important issue. The overall result of this category is a qualified success (6% + 9% - 14% = 1%).

Undeniably, Putin's greatest success is the improvement of Russia's relations with the West (8% + 18% - 1% = 25%).

Putin's second greatest success is the bolstering of Russia's position in the world (4% + 18% - 3% = 19%).

Greater expectations that the situation in the country will soon improve also represent an undoubted success (11% + 10% - 6% = 15%).

Political stability is Putin's fifth achievement (9% + 10% - 7% = 12%) seen as significant success.

This representative poll was conducted in March 2005 in 128 towns and villages in 46 regions of the Russian Federation. The margin of error did not exceed 3%.