Story highlights Putin's approval rating has hovered in the mid 80s since last May

Analysts differ in trying to explain the reason

(CNN) The economy's in the tank, the currency's crumbling, and he's risking diplomatic isolation for doubling down on Ukraine.

So how is it that Russian President Vladimir Putin's popularity is at a whopping 86%?

That's the conclusion of a poll conducted this month by the Levada Center. Last month, Putin's approval rating was at 85%.

The Levada-Center describes itself as an independent, non-governmental polling and sociological research organization.

And it has found that Putin's approval ratings have been holding steady in the mid-80s since around May last year, which incidentally is when the Ukraine/Crimea conflict bubbled up.

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