Vladimir Putin - What countryside Russians think of him

“A true muzhik"

These days, the word muzhik means a tough guy with a strong-willed character (the type of guy that, without saying a word, opens a beer bottle with his eyes and then goes for a walk outside when it’s 40℃ below zero).
A true muzhik is the highest praise for a man, and this is what Putin embodies for many Russians.
When asked what traits Putin represents, many average Russians use terms like: "courage," "decisiveness," "strength," "self-confidence," "bravery."
Russia’s annexation of Crimea was very popular domestically, and following this Putin's rating remained at 80% and above for a long time.
It reached a historic high of 90% in 2015, when Russia began its military campaign in Syria.
Both these events turned Putin into "a true muzhik" in the eyes of many Russians. "Having taken Crimea, we challenged the world community and acted contrary to Western opinion,” explains Alexey Levinson, the head of socio-cultural research at the Levada Center.
“People have a feeling that the country is opposed to the whole world.
It is this that in the eyes of the majority of Russians makes Russia a great power and Putin a strong leader, who did not chicken out."