Russians traditionally consider Belarus and Kazakhstan as the most successful CIS countries and Russia’s key partners.
MOSCOW, December 4, 2018. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a study devoted to the following issues: how Russians asses the success of the CIS countries; what country they see as Russia’s partner; where the rights of the Russian-speaking population are best observed; which CIS leader is the most trustworthy.
Of all the CIS member states, Kazakhstan and Belarus are favored and supported by the majority of Russians. These states are considered as the most stable and successful: 68% name Belarus, and Kazakhstan is named by 52% (an all-time high over the entire measurement period). This is followed, by a significant margin, by Azerbaijan (16%, an eight-year high), Armenia (14%), Georgia (12%), and Uzbekistan (10%).
As before, respondents consider Belarus (60%) and Kazakhstan (47%) as Russia’s main partners internationally (from the proposed list). Older age groups have more positive attitudes towards these countries than the young generations. The least popular country in both ratings is Ukraine.
The survey suggests that the rights of the Russian-speaking population are best protected in Belarus (66%) and Kazakhstan (31%). Less frequently respondents mention such CIS states as Armenia (12%), Uzbekistan (7%), Azerbaijan and Georgia (5%, each).
In the people’s rating of trust in CIS leaders Belarus and Kazakhstan presidents are at the top: Alexander Lukashenko (65%), Nursultan Nazarbayev (49%). Other trustworthy presidents gained from 1% to 14%: Ilham Aliyev (14%), Armen Sarkisyan (8%), Igor Dodon (7%), Shavkat Mirziyoyev (6%), Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and Giorgi Margvelashvili (4%, each), Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Emomali Rahmon (3%, each), Petro Poroshenko (1%).
The VCIOM survey was conducted on November 8, 2018, for the CROS Company. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
The 2010-2015 results are based on household surveys.
Which of the following countries do you consider as stable and successful? (closed-ended question, not more than 3 answers, %) | |||||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Belarus | 31 | 35 | 45 | 50 | 66 | 72 | 68 | 60 | 68 |
Kazakhstan | 34 | 42 | 33 | 35 | 45 | 50 | 51 | 41 | 52 |
Azerbaijan | 6 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 16 |
Armenia | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
Georgia | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
Uzbekistan | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 10 |
Turkmenistan | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
Kyrgyzstan | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 5 |
Tajikistan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
Moldavia | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Ukraine | 19 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Don’t know | 33 | 29 | 29 | 22 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 16 | 12 |
* Up to 2016, the question wording was “Which of the CIS countries do you consider the most successful today?”
Which of the following countries do you consider a reliable partner of Russia internationally? From 1 to 3 answers are possible* (closed-ended question, not more than 3 answers, %) | |||||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Belarus | 23 | 36 | 46 | 51 | 65 | 68 | 66 | 64 | 60 |
Kazakhstan | 37 | 42 | 38 | 37 | 46 | 53 | 55 | 57 | 47 |
Armenia | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 13 |
Uzbekistan | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 10 |
Azerbaijan | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 9 |
Kyrgyzstan | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
Georgia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
Tajikistan | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
Moldavia | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Turkmenistan | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
Ukraine | 21 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Don’t know | 34 | 29 | 28 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 11 | 13 | 21 |
* Up to 2016, the question wording was “Which CIS country do you consider the most reliable partner of Russia?”
| In your opinion, which of the following countries observe the rights of the Russian-speaking population (political, social, civic rights, etc.) to the fullest extent? From 1 to 3 answers are possible (closed-ended question, not more than 3 answers, %) | |||||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Belarus | 27 | 45 | 46 | 52 | 63 | 69 | 69 | 66 | 66 |
Kazakhstan | 21 | 25 | 24 | 18 | 31 | 32 | 38 | 38 | 31 |
Armenia | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 11 | 12 |
Uzbekistan | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
Azerbaijan | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
Georgia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
Moldavia | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
Kyrgyzstan | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
Ukraine | 17 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
Tajikistan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Turkmenistan | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Don’t know | 45 | 35 | 36 | 31 | 24 | 22 | 16 | 19 | 24 |
Which of the following leaders do you trust the most?* From 1 to 3 answers are possible (closed-ended question, not more than 3 answers, %) | |||||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Lukashenko Alexander (president of Belarus) | 16 | 28 | 34 | 41 | 61 | 63 | 65 | 62 | 65 |
Nazarbayev Nursultan (president of Kazakhstan) | 32 | 37 | 31 | 33 | 38 | 45 | 54 | 56 | 49 |
Aliyev Ilham (president of Azerbaijan) | 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 14 |
Sarkisyan Armen (president of Armenia)******* | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 8 |
Dodon Igor (president of Moldavia)***** | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 7 |
Mirziyoyev Shavkat (president of Uzbekistan)** | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
Berdymukhamedov Gurbanguly (president of Turkmenistan) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Margvelashvili Giorgi (president of Georgia)**** | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
Jeenbekov Sooronbay (president of Kyrgyzstan)*** | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
Rahmon Emomali (president of Tajikistan) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Poroshenko Petro (president of Ukraine) ****** | 17 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Don’t know | 43 | 36 | 38 | 32 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 16 |
* Up to 2017, the question wording was “ Which CIS leader do you trust the most?”
**In 2010-2015, the question referred to Islam Karimov.
*** In 2010-2011 the question referred to Roza Otunbayeva; in 2012-2017, to Almazbek Atambayev
**** In 2010-2013 inclusively the question referred to Mikheil Saakashvili.
***** In 2010, the question referred to Mihai Ghimpu; in 2011, to Marian Lupu; in 2012-2015, to Nicolae Timofti.
****** In 2010-2013 inclusively the question referred to Viktor Yanukovich.
******* In 2010-2017, the question referred to Serzh Sargsyan.
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!