Putin leans on ‘less modernised’ base

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin does not count many entrepreneurs like Vladimir Tabak among his supporters.

Tabak, young and Internet savvy, has organised online campaigns to back Putin, but the Russian leader will likely rely heavily on a less-educated and more rural electorate when he stands for a third term as president in March.

Putin’s “strong man” image appeals to many, including government employees whose votes he has cultivated, but it is also eroding his support among young urban voters, and spurring an unprecedented drop in popularity.

Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands reports from Moscow, the Russian capital.