Russia's Putin faces domestic headwinds, but maintains grip on power

No clear rival in sight as his approval rating hits three-year low and economy shrinks

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More than four years into his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing mounting challenges.

Internet outages designed to prevent Ukrainian drone attacks have angered many Russians, the economy is in contraction and the Russian army has been losing ground in Ukraine for the first time since 2023.

The 73-year-old's popularity has taken a hit: His approval rating in April dipped to its lowest since 2022, according to independent polling.

But analysts say the challenges are not yet big enough to topple the former KGB agent, who has spent more than a quarter of a century consolidating his power and eliminating the opposition.

“Approval ratings are falling, frustration is mounting and anxiety is growing. The four-year psychological milestone has passed, and some people have realised that things aren't quite going to plan,” political analyst Konstantin Kalachev said.

“But nothing critical is happening.”

Despite widespread discontent over the internet outages, frustration has not yet translated into major protests, with the authorities cracking down on any signs of dissent and Russians embracing virtual private networks to skirt the restrictions.