July 1, 2021. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the results of focus groups conducted during the Direct Line with Vladimir Putin held on June 30.

2021 Direct Line

During the Direct Line with Vladimir Putin VCIOM conducted a series of focus groups in different subjects of the Russian Federation where participants were watching the Q&A session live. Focus groups were conducted after the participants watched the Q&A session.

The overall assessment of the Putin’s Q&A session based on a ten-point scale is 6.84. More than half of focus group respondents (68%) are likely to have favored the session and the way the president answered the questions; 28% did not. 

For two-thirds of focus group participants the Putin’s answers were interesting to listen to (62%). Every fourth respondent (26%) was interested in a certain part of the session; 12% say the entire session was not interesting to them.

Every second participant (50%) perceived the president’s Q&A session in a positive way (47% in 2019). The top three positive emotions include hope, respect and trust. Less than one-third of respondents cited only negative emotions such as anxiety, disappointment and irritation.

According to 57% of respondents, the president talked about problems and issues that touch them personally; 33% say  that he talked about problems that do not touch them personally (33%, 6 p.p. lower than in 2019).

Two-thirds of focus group participants consider that Vladimir Putin understands the current situation and the problems of people like the president himself (62%); 25% oppose them.

According to 68% of focus group participants, it was interesting to V.Putin to answer the questions of Russians; 15% oppose this opinion.

The share of those who think that most of problems discussed in the Direct Line will be solved is   35%. Forty-two percent of respondents say that some problems will be solved, some not. Twenty-one percent of respondents think that most of tasks and problems will not be solved.

Thus, most of the president’s Q&A session assessments are positive and higher than the previous study assessments (Direct Line, 2019).

Ten focus groups were conducted on June 30, 2021 in the framework of the Direct Line with Vladimir Putin”. Focus groups took place in administrative centers and medium-sized cities across different subjects of the Russian Federation. A total of 123 Russian citizens aged 18 and older took part in the survey. 

Findings based on focus group discussions is for reference only and do not represent the entire Russian population to be studied in further quantitative research. Results of similar focus group discussions conducted by VCIOM during the 2019 Direct Line with the president are also cited for reference.