Belarus and Kazakhstan are traditionally perceived as the most successful CIS countries and the key Russia’s partners.
MOSCOW, December 5, 2017. The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey describing how Russians assess the success of the CIS countries; what CIS member state is treated as Russia’s partner; which country assures protection of the rights of the Russian-speaking population; and which CIS leader respondents trust most.
Belarus and Kazakhstan are the most stable and successful, reliable and trustworthy partners of Russia among the CIS members.
The latest survey suggests that Belarus is regarded to be the most successful and reliable state by 60% of Russians (68% in 2016); Kazakhstan is mentioned by 41% (51% in 2016). The top five favorable countries also include Armenia (16%), Azerbaijan (14%), Georgia (10%, a seven-year high).
Russians consider Belarus (64%) and Kazakhstan (57%; an all-time high) to be Russia’s main partners in the international arena (from the proposed list of countries). As before, older generations perceive these countries more positively than young respondents. Ukraine is the outsider in both rankings; only 1% mention this country.
As to protection of the rights of Russian-speaking population, Belarus (66%) and Kazakhstan (38%) are at the top of the rating. Other countries lag behind: Armenia (11%), Azerbaijan (6%), Moldavia (6%), Georgia (6%), Kyrgyzstan (5%), Uzbekistan (5%), Ukraine (5%), Tajikistan (4%), and Turkmenistan (2%).
The national rating of trust in the leaders of the CIS countries is headed by Belarus and Kazakhstan: Alexander Lukashenko (62%), Nursultan Nazarbayev (56%). The percentages of respondents who opt for other leaders fluctuate between 1% and 2%: Ilham Aliyev– 12%, Serzh Sargsyan – 11%, Igor Dodon – 8%, Almazbek Atambaev – 5%, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow – 4%, Giorgi Margvelashvili – 4%, Shavkat Mirziyoyev – 3%, Emomali Rahmon – 3%, and Petro Poroshenko – 1%.
See the PPT file for details
The VCIOM survey was commissioned by the Kros Company and conducted on November 17-18, 2017. The survey involved 1,200 Russians aged 18 and over, 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 3.5%. 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 survey.
Which countries from the list below do you consider to be the most stable and successful? (closed-ended question, not more than three answers, %) | ||||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Belarus | 31 | 35 | 45 | 50 | 66 | 72 | 68 | 60 |
Kazakhstan | 34 | 42 | 33 | 35 | 45 | 50 | 51 | 41 |
Armenia | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 16 |
Azerbaijan | 6 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 14 |
Georgia | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
Uzbekistan | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 7 |
Turkmenistan | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 7 |
Kyrgyzstan | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 5 |
Moldavia | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Tajikistan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 |
Ukraine | 19 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Don’t know | 33 | 29 | 29 | 22 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 16 |
* Until 2016, the question was “Which CIS country do you consider to be the most successful at the moment?”
Which countries from the list below do you consider to be the most reliable partner of Russia in the international arena? Up to 3 countries* (closed-ended question, not more than three answers, %) | ||||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Belarus | 23 | 36 | 46 | 51 | 65 | 68 | 66 | 64 |
Kazakhstan | 37 | 42 | 38 | 37 | 46 | 53 | 55 | 57 |
Armenia | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 16 |
Azerbaijan | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 10 |
Uzbekistan | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 8 |
Kyrgyzstan | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
Georgia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
Tajikistan | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 |
Moldavia | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
Turkmenistan | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
Ukraine | 21 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Don’t know | 34 | 29 | 28 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 11 | 13 |
* Until 2016, the question was “Which CIS country do you treat as Russia’s most reliable partner?”
Where are the rights of Russian-speaking population (political, social and civil rights, etc.) better protected? Up to 3 countries (closed-ended question, not more than three answers, %) | ||||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Belarus | 27 | 45 | 46 | 52 | 63 | 69 | 69 | 66 |
Kazakhstan | 21 | 25 | 24 | 18 | 31 | 32 | 38 | 38 |
Armenia | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 11 |
Azerbaijan | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
Moldavia | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
Georgia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
Kyrgyzstan | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
Uzbekistan | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
Ukraine | 17 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 |
Tajikistan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Turkmenistan | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Don’t know | 45 | 35 | 36 | 31 | 24 | 22 | 16 | 19 |
Which leader do you trust the most? Up to 3 answers (closed-ended question, not more than three answers, %) | ||||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Lukashenko Alexander (president of Belarus) | 16 | 28 | 34 | 41 | 61 | 63 | 65 | 62 |
Nazarbayev Nursultan (president of Kazakhstan) | 32 | 37 | 31 | 33 | 38 | 45 | 54 | 56 |
Aliyev Ilham (president of Azerbaijan) | 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 12 |
Sargsyan Serzh (president of Armenia) | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 11 |
Dodon Igor (president of Moldavia)* | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
Atambaev Almazbek (president of Kyrgyzstan)** | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Berdimuhamedow Gurbanguly (president of Turkmenistan) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Margvelashvili Giorgi (president of Georgia)*** | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Mirziyoyev Shavkat (president of Uzbekistan)**** | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
Rahmon Emomali (president of Tajikistan) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
Poroshenko Petro (president of Ukraine) ***** | 17 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Don’t know | 43 | 36 | 38 | 32 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 14 |
‘ Until 2017, the question 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 2010-2013, the question inclusively referred to Mikheil Saakashvili
**** In 2010, the question referred to Mihai Ghimpu; in 2011 - Marian Lupu; in 2012-2015 – Nicolae Timofti
***** In 2010-2013, the question inclusively referred to Viktor Yanukovich
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!