The VCIOM analytical center has presented the results of a study on how Russian society perceives the success and reliability of post-Soviet countries. In the eyes of Russians, Belarus turned out to be both the most successful and the most reliable.
The survey was conducted by telephone on April 3, 2026. It included 1,600 Russian respondents aged 18 and older. The data were weighted according to socio-demographic parameters. The margin of error does not exceed 2.5% with a 95% confidence level.
It is not entirely clear by what principle neighboring countries were included in the survey. Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova are no longer members of the CIS, Turkmenistan is only an associate member, and the post-Soviet states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were not included in the list.
VCIOM continues to refer to Belarus as “Belorussia.”
“Belarus retains the status of the absolute leader in terms of success and reliability as a partner. Three-quarters of Russians (75%) consider it the most successful country in the region, while 83% call it a reliable partner on the international stage. Over the past 10 years, these indicators have shown steady growth (by 7 and 17 percentage points respectively). This dynamic is undoubtedly driven by deep economic integration within the Union State, joint import substitution projects, and a shared transport and energy space,” VCIOM stated.
It is notable how Russian sociologists explained the low ratings for Ukraine and Moldova. There was no mention of war at all — according to them, the reason lies in the “erosion of the common socio-economic foundation and the rupture of institutional ties.”
“In the public consciousness, these states have lost their status as partners and moved outside the framework of the integration agenda,” VCIOM believes.
