Steve’s Barking; Putin’s 80% approval rating?

According to press reports Putin has an 80% approval rating?
Putin has an iron clad fist on news  reporting in Russia.
Putin has claimed down on opposition (just as Middle Eastern dictators did such as Saddum Husain).
When you have denied opposition and you run the news  apparatus to believe that he had an 80% approval rating is hard to believe.
Now don’t get me wrong I have nothing again the Russian  premier. He seems to have done a pretty good job for his people, including restoring pride and a better life for most Russians then when he took office, but given the fact that he controls information and doesn’t want anyone running against him(?) 80% approval rating is hard to believe.