Despite, or perhaps because of, the Ukraine crisis, Vladimir Putin's popularity continues to scale new heights, with a recent poll showing the Russian president's approval rating at an astounding 86 per cent.

Moscow-based pollster the Levada Centre, which surveyed 1,600 Russians across 134 cities, found support for Putin was up 21 per cent in the last two years.

Although there have been accusations that some of Putin's electoral victories may have been less than legitimate, his unparalleled popularity is clear to see; his approval rating rises as Russian relations with the west worsen.