VTsIOM reported an increase in Russians' happiness levels amid the fuel crisis

The level of subjective happiness in Russian society has risen, despite the fuel crisis, accelerating inflation, and drone attacks. This is evidenced by data from the state-run VTsIOM, according to which the “happiness index” for Russians rose in June for the second month in a row, reaching 59 points—the highest level since January.

According to sociologists, 47% of respondents said they were “rather happy,” while another 30% described themselves as “definitely happy.” At the same time, the share of those who consider themselves unhappy decreased by two percentage points over the month. Specifically, 5% of respondents described themselves as “definitely unhappy,” compared to 7% in May, while 13% said they were “somewhat unhappy.”

In April, amid internet outages and the blocking of Telegram, Russia’s “happiness index” fell to 52 points—its lowest level in the past 11 years. Since then, it has risen by seven points, despite falling approval ratings for the government, growing anxiety in society, and increasingly frequent complaints from Russians about their deteriorating financial situation.

VTsIOM attributes the rise in the index, in particular, to the “summer vacation.” According to sociologists, the positive impact of the summer season allegedly outweighs negative news, including intensified shelling and the related fuel crisis.