MOSCOW, 10 July 2026. The VCIOM Analytical Center presents the results of a survey on Russians’ trust in others.

 A spoonful of honey …

“Another person’s soul is a mystery,” “Trust, but verify,” and “Once bitten, twice shy” — in Russian culture, trust has traditionally been accompanied by caution: you can trust others, but you should also take past experience and potential risks into account. And while during the Soviet era, judging by films and books, people felt supported by society, the situation changed dramatically in the 1990s. In an environment where everyone was struggling to survive, a stranger could easily deceive you, take advantage of your vulnerability, or refuse to help in a difficult situation.

Modern Russia is different: despite regular media reports of fraud, people have become noticeably more likely to believe in the honesty of others. Over the past two decades, the index of everyday trust in other people has increased by almost one and a half times — from 36 to 51 points out of 100. In other words, Russians today are much more likely to assume that another person will help, will not simply walk past someone in need, will return something they have found, and will act honestly. Perhaps society and communication are now perceived as safer and more predictable, mostly thanks to the development of modern services, surveillance cameras, and more opportunities for public oversight.

The level of trust varies among Russians. It might seem that older people, women, and residents of smaller towns would be more inclined to trust others. However, the opposite is true: everyday trust is higher among men, economically active Russians, urban residents, and people with higher education and a stronger financial situation — in other words, among those with greater personal resources. The more secure people feel in their own lives, the more likely they are to expect honest and trustworthy behavior from others. The role of cities in fostering trust is likely linked to the development of digital services and greater public oversight.

…and the bitter aftertaste

Although Russians have generally become more trusting of other people over the past twenty years, the biggest increase has been in trust in public situations. The share of people who believe that, if they were injured in the street, someone would come to help them almost immediately has risen from 53% to 78%. The share of those who believe that a lost envelope containing documents and money would be returned to its owner has also nearly doubled. This increase could be attributed to greater civic awareness, but the digital environment is likely to play a significant role as well. With surveillance cameras everywhere and a smartphone in nearly every passerby’s pocket, helping others becomes part of one’s public reputation: instances of fraud or ignoring someone in distress can be caught on camera and become known to others, including law enforcement. It is becoming harder to simply “disappear” after doing something wrong.

When it comes to closer relationships, verbal agreements, or private conversations, most people remain skeptical. Greater trust in verbal agreements may be partly due to the growing number of ways to document them—screenshots, online transfers, and recordings of online meetings. These make it easier to prove your case in a dispute. But when all you have to rely on is someone’s word, Russians have become even more cautious.

Modern trust, then, is more complex and far from naïve—it is increasingly “technology-driven.” People are willing to trust actions that happen in public and can be documented. But in an age of information overload, manipulation, and fraud, words alone are becoming a less reliable currency: Russians are increasingly reluctant to trust them without proof.

‘VCIOM-Sputnik’ nationwide telephone survey was conducted on June 26, 2026. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and older. The method used was a telephone interview based on a stratified random sample drawn from a comprehensive list of mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted by socio-demographic parameters. The margin of error, with a 95% confidence level, does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, survey results may also be affected by question wording and various circumstances arising during fieldwork.

Key survey effectiveness indicators as of June 26, 2026: cooperation rate (CR) *= 0.6851; minimum response rate (MRR) = 0.0227; response rate (RR) *** = 0.0720**

Calculations are based on corporate standard:

 * CR: the ratio of completed interviews to the sum of: (a) completed interviews and (b) all non-completed interviews with respondents who confirmed that they met the sampling criteria

* CR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews and b) non-interviews with eligible respondents.

** MRR: the ratio of completed interviews to the sum of: (a) completed interviews, (b) interrupted interviews after successful screening, and (c) all respondents for whom it remained unknown whether they met the sampling criteria.

**RR is calculated in the same way as the MRR, with the only difference being that the number of respondents whose eligibility remains unknown is reduced proportionally to the share of eligible respondents among all respondents whose eligibility status (eligible or not) was successfully determined.

* Before 2017, surveys were conducted through face-to-face household interviews (the “Express” project), using a stratified multistage sample with quotas based on sociodemographic characteristics. The sample was representative of the Russian population aged 18 and over by type of settlement, gender, age, education, and federal district. The sample size was 1,600 respondents.

** Everyday Trust in People Index measures the extent to which Russians expect others to be helpful and honest in everyday situations. The index is calculated as the average of positive responses to four questions and ranges from 0 to 100 points. It covers expectations of receiving prompt help from others in the street; expectations that lost documents and money will be returned; willingness to make small business deals verbally; and trust in what people say about themselves and their acquaintances in private conversations. The higher the score, the stronger the level of everyday trust in others.

Author: Tatyana Smak