8 December 2021. VCIOM presents the findings of a survey among Russians on the USSR.
Russians were asked to name famous Soviet figures they could call Soviet heroes. A majority of respondents pointed out Gagarin (41%), Zhukov (22%; 26-28% of those aged 35-59) and Stalin (20%; 26-27% of those aged 25-44).
Almost every tenth respondent cited Brezhnev (9%) and Korolev (8%); 22% remained undecided.
Lenin is considered as a Soviet hero by 12-15% of young respondents (vs 7% of all the respondents); Gagarin and Stalin are equally mentioned by Russians aged 18-24 (21%, each).
Among Soviet figures who evoke negative emotions and antipathy, many respondents point out Gorbachev (20%; 24% of the 35-44-year-olds), Beria, Khrushchev and Stalin (11%, each), Yeltsin (9%) and Brezhnev (5%). However 11% of Russians failed to point out any negative character; 40% remain undecided.
Remarkably, respondents aged 18-24 are more likely to disfavor Stalin (19%); 8% of them negatively perceive Lenin (vs 4% of all the Russians who share the same opinion).
All-Russian VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted November 24, 2021, as a special project for RBK. A total of 1,600 of Russians aged 18 and older took part in the survey. Results are based on telephone interviews. Stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of Russian landline and mobile phone numbers was used. 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 to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Each epoch has its own heroes. Who could you call a Soviet time hero? (open-ended question, up to 5 answers, % of total respondents; answers of at least 3% of respondents) | ||||||
| Total | Ages 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 + |
Gagarin | 41 | 21 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 41 |
Zhukov | 22 | 15 | 19 | 26 | 28 | 18 |
Stalin | 20 | 21 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 9 |
Brezhnev | 9 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 9 |
Korolev | 8 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 8 |
Lenin | 7 | 15 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
Maresyev | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
Sakharov | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
Tereshkova | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
Rookossovsky | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
Kosmodemyanskaya | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Matrosov | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
Other | 62 | 53 | 39 | 51 | 72 | 77 |
Don’t know | 22 | 34 | 24 | 20 | 17 | 23 |
Are there any famous Soviet figures who evoke negative emotions, antipathy, or are there not? If there are any, can you name them? (open-ended question, up to 5 answers, % of total respondents, answers of at least 2% of respondents) | ||||||
| Total | Ages 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 + |
Gorbachev | 20 | 3 | 15 | 24 | 21 | 24 |
Beria | 11 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 13 | 10 |
Khrushchev | 11 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 14 |
Stalin | 11 | 19 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 7 |
Yeltsin | 9 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 15 |
Brezhnev | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
Lenin | 4 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
Yezhov | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
Vlasov | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Trotsky | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Andropov | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Solzhenitsyn | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
Yagoda | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Other | 13 | 17 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 15 |
No one | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
Don’t know | 40 | 48 | 51 | 33 | 35 | 39 |