BACKERS OF CHECHEN CONFLICT ON THE DECREASE.

The July 28 issue of the Washington Times reported that the most recent public opinion survey taken by the Russian polling organization ROMIR found that “just 30.7 percent of Russians back Mr. Putin’s aggressive war” while “40.9 percent said they thought Russia should either reduce its forces in Chechnya, seek an internationally mediated solution, or simply pull out altogether.” “The sagging poll numbers matter,” the Times commented, “because Mr. Putin–unlike Mr. Yeltsin–appears consumed by his personal popularity ratings, according to Yuri Levada, director of the National Public Opinion Research Center, known by its Russian acronym VTsIOM.”