Russian people appear to back their government’s intervention in the Ukraine – or the state’s propaganda machine is working extremely well.

Either way, while the western politicians increasingly present Vladimir Putin as an out of touch Soviet relic, in Russia, his approval rating is at a three year high.

Further spurred on by the success of the Sochi Olympics, perhaps unsurprisingly, the state owned research centre VTsIOM placed Mr Putin’s approval rating at a staggering 71.6 per cent – up 9.7 per cent since mid-February.

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"Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval rating has reached a three-year high amid Crimea's plans to join Russia and the nation's historic triumph at the Sochi Winter Olympics,” the state run news site ria.ru explained.

The poll isn't a state pushed anomaly however – the fully independent Levada Centre matches VTsIOM’s finding, placing Putin’s approval rating at 72 per cent.

Offering a slightly different insight into the population’s support of the Ukrainian intervention, a Levada Centre report into public opinion said (translation via Google): “The two-week, unprecedented in post-Soviet time, propaganda and disinformation campaign gave a powerful effect and mass approval of Putin's policy towards Ukraine.

Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: Russian troops in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Show all 10 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: Russian troops in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues 1/10 Pro-Russian protests in Crimea Pro-Russian protesters, including one woman holding a sign that reads: 'The time has come to return my name! I am Russia. And not Ukraine!', hold up a giant Russian flag as they march in Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March. Sean Gallup/Getty Images 2/10 Pro-Russian protests in Crimea Pro-Russian protesters marching in Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March. Sean Gallup/Getty Images 3/10 Russian troops in Crimea A young man carrying flowers confronts heavily-armed soldiers displaying in a street in the city centre of Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March. Sean Gallup/Getty Images 4/10 Russian troops enter Crimea Two young women sit in a shop as heavily-armed soldiers stand outside in Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March. Sean Gallup/Getty Images 5/10 Pro-Russian protests in Crimea Pro-Russian protesters wave the orange and black colours of Russian military valour at an anti-American rally in Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March. Sean Gallup/Getty Images 6/10 Pro-Europe protests continue in Kiev A man walks with an EU flag at the bridge overlooking Independence Square in central Kiev on 1 March LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/Getty Images 7/10 Russian troops guard Crimean parliament Heavily-armed soldiers guard the Crimean parliament building shortly after taking up positions there on 1 March in Simferopol, Ukraine Sean Gallup/Getty Images 8/10 Protests continue in Kiev A member of a so-called 'Maidan's self defence unit' looks at pictures of protesters who were killed during recent clashes, displayed in central Kiev on March 1 Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images 9/10 Russian troops in Crimea Women look on as troops guard the Crimean parliament building in Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March Sean Gallup/Getty Images 10/10 Funerals continue in Kiev A woman holds a candle during the funerals of a man who was killed during the recent clashes with the riot police on Kiev's Independence square on 1 March. Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images 1/10 Pro-Russian protests in Crimea Pro-Russian protesters, including one woman holding a sign that reads: 'The time has come to return my name! I am Russia. And not Ukraine!', hold up a giant Russian flag as they march in Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March. Sean Gallup/Getty Images 2/10 Pro-Russian protests in Crimea Pro-Russian protesters marching in Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March. Sean Gallup/Getty Images 3/10 Russian troops in Crimea A young man carrying flowers confronts heavily-armed soldiers displaying in a street in the city centre of Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March. Sean Gallup/Getty Images 4/10 Russian troops enter Crimea Two young women sit in a shop as heavily-armed soldiers stand outside in Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March. Sean Gallup/Getty Images 5/10 Pro-Russian protests in Crimea Pro-Russian protesters wave the orange and black colours of Russian military valour at an anti-American rally in Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March. Sean Gallup/Getty Images 6/10 Pro-Europe protests continue in Kiev A man walks with an EU flag at the bridge overlooking Independence Square in central Kiev on 1 March LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/Getty Images 7/10 Russian troops guard Crimean parliament Heavily-armed soldiers guard the Crimean parliament building shortly after taking up positions there on 1 March in Simferopol, Ukraine Sean Gallup/Getty Images 8/10 Protests continue in Kiev A member of a so-called 'Maidan's self defence unit' looks at pictures of protesters who were killed during recent clashes, displayed in central Kiev on March 1 Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images 9/10 Russian troops in Crimea Women look on as troops guard the Crimean parliament building in Simferopol, Ukraine, on 1 March Sean Gallup/Getty Images 10/10 Funerals continue in Kiev A woman holds a candle during the funerals of a man who was killed during the recent clashes with the riot police on Kiev's Independence square on 1 March. Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images

“All the alternatives differ from officialdom or independent sources of information and interpretation of the events were completely disabled.”

It found that 67 per cent believe radical Ukrainian nationalist organizations are responsible for the situation in Crimea, while 63 per cent believe that the federal Russian media as a whole or in large part covering the events taking place in Ukraine or the Crimea objectively.

Even if, as the Levada Centre suggests, propaganda has played a big part in his boost in popularity, its worthy of note that the peak of Putin’s popularity came in September 2008 - just after Russia crushed Georgia in a short war with the country over another former Soviet territory, South Ossetia. Then, Leveda put his approval rating at 88 per cent.