Putin a Lion, Medvedev a Bear: Public Poll

Findings from a recent poll by the Russian independent, non-governmental polling and sociological research organization the Levada Center indicate that the country’s citizens associate Russian President Dmitry Medvedev with a bear, which is more due to his surname (as in Russian it translates to “bear”), while Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is associated with a lion.

First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov more so reminded respondents of an elephant or a bull, while leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a monkey. Respondents considered Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the Russian United Democratic Party “Yabloko,” more of a rabbit.