[quote=Dinh AaronMk]
I'd need to track it down but I've been hearing Putin's popularity shot up in the 70% range in Russia. I think the basic idea is that he's showing a strong hand in "protecting Russians from the West".
[/quote]

It's been all over Russian news. Russian nationalists are still a big voting bloc in Russia, and by his current actions he is looking to control a direct line through Ukraine now into Eastern Europe now which would give Russia a bigger edge in gas exports which increased his popularity with businessmen in Russia as well. He is playing up the angle of protecting Russians speakers, ethnic Russians, and Russian Orthodox which is going over very well.