Older Russians expect state to provide, help, younger Russians look to NGOs
Only 17% of Russians living in difficult situations look to non-governmental organisations for help, says VCIOM
The majority of survey participants believed that in difficult times, assistance should come primarily from the state.
12.01.2026
Article published on the ASI website.
On 12 January 2026, VCIOM (the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre) published the results of a survey on mutual assistance. According to the survey results, for 69% of respondents the state remained the main source of support to those living in difficult situations.
Twenty-eight per cent relied on relatives and friends, while another 22% believed that people should help themselves. Public organisations and the church ‘remained on the periphery of public attention,’ the researchers noted.
On the one hand, these results clearly illustrated the paternalism of Russian society as responsibility was almost unanimously shifted onto the state, rather than onto one’s immediate circle or one’s own efforts. On the other hand, people clearly do not have a strong belief in horizontal relationships and mutual assistance. Against this backdrop, the space for civic solidarity is narrowing, CSOs remain distant from at-risk groups, and religious organisations are even further away,” noted Tatyana Smak, an expert at VCIOM.
At the same time, generational differences were noticeable. Young Russians, especially Gen Z, were less likely to rely on the state and more likely to talk about personal responsibility, volunteering, and the role of public organisations. According to Smak, this is due to their experience of living in a digital environment, where volunteering, crowdfunding, and grassroots initiatives are widespread.
With age, the willingness to rely on one’s own strength decreased. For older generations, the main sources of support remained the state and loved ones, which researchers attributed to a ‘sense of exhaustion of their own resources.’
Overall, the survey showed a high level of personal willingness to help others. Most Russians considered such assistance to be a social norm and were confident that they have someone to turn to if necessary. However, 38% of respondents believed that ‘most people only care about themselves and don’t care about others.’
Gender differences were also found. Women were more likely to believe in people’s willingness to help, feel that they have a support group, and were more active in declaring their personal willingness to help. Whereas, men were more likely to perceive society as selfish and were less confident that they have someone to turn to.
