Yeah, Putin is a thug, but he stands up for this country (despite being terribly misguided), while Obama works to undermine America’s power. So this is not surprise.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has something to smile about. Everyone in Russia loves him, according to a recent Gallup poll.

Putin’s popularity in Russia is at its highest level in years, with 83 percent of Russians saying they approve of the job he’s doing. That ties his previous high rating that came in 2008 — and currently is nearly twice the approval rating of President Barack Obama in the U.S. (44 percent).