Russians give government an average grade

Russian citizens taking part in a public opinion survey said they were generally satisfied with the performance of their government, data show. A survey conducted by Russia's state-run Public Opinion Foundation said the government received an average score of 3.2 out of 5, with "5" marking the most satisfied, in a poll conducted last weekend. Among the 1,600 people taking part in the survey, 4 percent told pollsters the government was performing better than expected, state-funded news agency RIA Novosti reports. The Russian government is led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. More than 70 percent of those interviewed said the government was no better than when President Vladimir Putin served under Medvedev during the previous government. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was the most popular government official, pollsters said. Putin was elected last year to a third non-consecutive term as president. His re-election was marred by protests and his administration has since cracked down on political opponents. Few in a survey published last week in Russia said they wanted him to run again. Frustration with Putin's tenure has lingered nearly six months after the election. A 28-year-old man was sentenced to three months in prison this week for desecrating the Russian flag because of his "hostile attitude to Russian justice," the Russian news agency reports. The latest poll had a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.