Inflation above 15 percent may create major social and political problems, sociologist Yevgeny Gontmakher told the Moscow Times. In February, inflation rate rose to 13,9 percent, up from 13,4 percent in January. Still, Russians remain content with the country’s political course and are not ready to protest despite increasing economic hardships. A survey released last week by the VTsIOM institute found that one in five Russians was prepared to protest the government, but 60 percent said they thought that mass protests were unlikely. At the same time approval ratings of President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin remain high, respectively 71 percent and 78 percent. However, dissatisfaction with the government is growing. “The threats are out there, but they haven’t reached critical levels,” Alexei Makarkin, an analyst with the Center of Political Technologies said. A survey from the Levada Centre indicate that only 40 percent of Russians thought that the country was on the right track, which is down 20 percentage points from September, the Moscow Times writes.
