The happiness index of Russians, measured by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (), in April 2026, reached 52 points. This is the lowest number in the past 15 years.
When measuring the happiness index, Russians are regularly asked a closed question, which reads in full as follows: “Anything can happen in life: good or bad. But in general, are you happy or not? Based on the answers, the index is determined, which is expressed in points.”
Compared to March, the happiness index in April fell by four points – from 56 to 52 (and a month earlier, in February, it was 55). In April 2025, the happiness index was 63 points, then dropped to 58 in July, and then began to rise again.
The last time the happiness index was lower than it was in April 2026 was in September 2011, when it was 41 points. This month the “castling” happened – when it was announced at the United Russia Congress that Vladimir Putin would again run for the presidential elections, and that Dmitry Medvedev, who replaced him as president, would head the party’s list in the Duma elections.