In an interview with Bloomberg, Vladimir Putin attributed the recent fall in the ratings of pro-Kremlin political party United Russia, of which he is a part, to criticisms from opposition parties.

According to Putin, as is customary, in preparation for the upcoming Duma elections, various political parties have actively been criticizing the government, as a result of which the ruling party has experienced a fall in its ratings.

On September 1, non-governmental research organization Levada-Center published the results of a political opinion poll, which recorded a sharp decline in the rating of United Russia. The results of the survey show that 31% of respondents are ready to vote for the ruling party, compared with 39% just one month earlier. Among those respondents, who actually plan on participating in elections this year, 50% intend to support United Russia, compared with 57% one month earlier.