Moscow — More than four years since Vladimir Putin’s popularity shot to record highs after his annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea, support for the Russian president has fallen right back on an unpopular plan to raise the pension age. Confidence among Russians in Putin declined to 42% in mid-June from 45% a week earlier, the lowest level since December 2013, according to state-run polling company VTsIOM. It said Putin’s approval rating fell from 77% to 72%, the worst result since March 2014, the month he signed an order absorbing Crimea into Russia. A separate poll by the Public Opinion Foundation showed a similar drop. The slump in the president’s popularity may be the first indicator of discontent with the plan to raise the pension age that the Russian government suddenly announced on June 14, the opening day of the World Cup hosted by Russia for the first time. After resisting the measure for a decade, the government declared it wants to increase the retirement age for men to 65 from ...
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