Happiness levels in Russia have plummeted to a 15-year low
According to a survey by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM), the happiness index for Russians stood at 52 points in April 2026.
This figure is the lowest in the past decade and a half, demonstrating a rapid decline in social optimism in the aggressor country.
The survey methodology involves answering a closed-ended question: “Life has its ups and downs: good times and bad. But overall, are you happy or not?”
Based on the responses received, sociologists compile an index in points, which is currently showing a steady decline.
In just one month—from March to April—the “happiness” level in Russia dropped by four points, falling from 56 to 52. For comparison, in April of last year, this figure stood at 63 points.
“Since July 2025, when the index fell to 58, there have been temporary fluctuations, but the current drop to 52 points is critical,” the researchers note.
Historical analysis shows that the last time such low figures were recorded was back in September 2011, when the index stood at 41 points.
That period is remembered by Russians for the so-called “castling,” when the United Russia party congress announced Vladimir Putin’s return to the presidency in place of Dmitry Medvedev.
Current trends indicate that even despite total control over the media landscape and propaganda, the sense of well-being among the Russian population continues to deteriorate.
The level of dissatisfaction with life is approaching the levels seen during the period of greatest political apathy in the past decade.
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