What is freedom of expression index in Russia?

Freedom of expression index in Russia was 0.08 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Russia?

The highest recorded value was 0.816 in 1992.

What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Russia?

The lowest recorded value was 0.012 in 1934.

How does Russia rank for freedom of expression index?

Russia ranks 163rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Russia?

Over the last ten years it is down 74.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Russia data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Freedom of Expression Index in Russia

Name: Freedom of Expression Index in Russia
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Russia: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.08 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.08

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

163rd

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.816

in 1992

All-time low

0.012

in 1934

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Freedom of Expression Index in Russia, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, freedom of expression index in Russia stood at 0.08.

That represents a change of down 74.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Russia peaked at 0.816 in 1992 and was at its lowest, 0.012, in 1934.

Russia ranks 163rd of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Freedom of Expression Index in Russia, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Expression Index in Russia, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.164	—
1790	0.087	-47.0%
1791	0.087	+0.0%
1792	0.087	+0.0%
1793	0.087	+0.0%
1794	0.087	+0.0%
1795	0.087	+0.0%
1796	0.087	+0.0%
1797	0.087	+0.0%
1798	0.087	+0.0%
1799	0.087	+0.0%
1800	0.087	+0.0%
1801	0.087	+0.0%
1802	0.087	+0.0%
1803	0.087	+0.0%
1804	0.087	+0.0%
1805	0.087	+0.0%
1806	0.087	+0.0%
1807	0.087	+0.0%
1808	0.087	+0.0%
1809	0.087	+0.0%
1810	0.087	+0.0%
1811	0.087	+0.0%
1812	0.087	+0.0%
1813	0.087	+0.0%
1814	0.087	+0.0%
1815	0.087	+0.0%
1816	0.087	+0.0%
1817	0.087	+0.0%
1818	0.087	+0.0%
1819	0.087	+0.0%
1820	0.087	+0.0%
1821	0.087	+0.0%
1822	0.087	+0.0%
1823	0.087	+0.0%
1824	0.087	+0.0%
1825	0.087	+0.0%
1826	0.074	-14.9%
1827	0.074	+0.0%
1828	0.074	+0.0%
1829	0.074	+0.0%
1830	0.074	+0.0%
1831	0.074	+0.0%
1832	0.074	+0.0%
1833	0.074	+0.0%
1834	0.074	+0.0%
1835	0.074	+0.0%
1836	0.074	+0.0%
1837	0.074	+0.0%
1838	0.074	+0.0%
1839	0.074	+0.0%
1840	0.074	+0.0%
1841	0.074	+0.0%
1842	0.074	+0.0%
1843	0.074	+0.0%
1844	0.074	+0.0%
1845	0.074	+0.0%
1846	0.074	+0.0%
1847	0.074	+0.0%
1848	0.059	-20.3%
1849	0.059	+0.0%
1850	0.059	+0.0%
1851	0.059	+0.0%
1852	0.059	+0.0%
1853	0.059	+0.0%
1854	0.059	+0.0%
1855	0.143	+142.4%
1856	0.168	+17.5%
1857	0.168	+0.0%
1858	0.168	+0.0%
1859	0.168	+0.0%
1860	0.168	+0.0%
1861	0.168	+0.0%
1862	0.168	+0.0%
1863	0.168	+0.0%
1864	0.168	+0.0%
1865	0.194	+15.5%
1866	0.194	+0.0%
1867	0.194	+0.0%
1868	0.194	+0.0%
1869	0.194	+0.0%
1870	0.194	+0.0%
1871	0.194	+0.0%
1872	0.194	+0.0%
1873	0.167	-13.9%
1874	0.167	+0.0%
1875	0.167	+0.0%
1876	0.167	+0.0%
1877	0.167	+0.0%
1878	0.167	+0.0%
1879	0.167	+0.0%
1880	0.167	+0.0%
1881	0.171	+2.4%
1882	0.19	+11.1%
1883	0.19	+0.0%
1884	0.19	+0.0%
1885	0.19	+0.0%
1886	0.19	+0.0%
1887	0.19	+0.0%
1888	0.19	+0.0%
1889	0.19	+0.0%
1890	0.19	+0.0%
1891	0.19	+0.0%
1892	0.19	+0.0%
1893	0.19	+0.0%
1894	0.19	+0.0%
1895	0.19	+0.0%
1896	0.19	+0.0%
1897	0.19	+0.0%
1898	0.19	+0.0%
1899	0.19	+0.0%
1900	0.201	+5.8%
1901	0.199	-1.0%
1902	0.199	+0.0%
1903	0.199	+0.0%
1904	0.199	+0.0%
1905	0.238	+19.6%
1906	0.242	+1.7%
1907	0.239	-1.2%
1908	0.236	-1.3%
1909	0.235	-0.4%
1910	0.231	-1.7%
1911	0.231	+0.0%
1912	0.236	+2.2%
1913	0.236	+0.0%
1914	0.229	-3.0%
1915	0.221	-3.5%
1916	0.219	-0.9%
1917	0.146	-33.3%
1918	0.045	-69.2%
1919	0.031	-31.1%
1920	0.03	-3.2%
1921	0.032	+6.7%
1922	0.031	-3.1%
1923	0.027	-12.9%
1924	0.025	-7.4%
1925	0.022	-12.0%
1926	0.021	-4.5%
1927	0.019	-9.5%
1928	0.018	-5.3%
1929	0.018	+0.0%
1930	0.015	-16.7%
1931	0.015	+0.0%
1932	0.015	+0.0%
1933	0.015	+0.0%
1934	0.012	-20.0%
1935	0.012	+0.0%
1936	0.012	+0.0%
1937	0.012	+0.0%
1938	0.012	+0.0%
1939	0.012	+0.0%
1940	0.012	+0.0%
1941	0.012	+0.0%
1942	0.012	+0.0%
1943	0.012	+0.0%
1944	0.012	+0.0%
1945	0.014	+16.7%
1946	0.015	+7.1%
1947	0.014	-6.7%
1948	0.012	-14.3%
1949	0.012	+0.0%
1950	0.012	+0.0%
1951	0.012	+0.0%
1952	0.012	+0.0%
1953	0.016	+33.3%
1954	0.023	+43.7%
1955	0.025	+8.7%
1956	0.024	-4.0%
1957	0.029	+20.8%
1958	0.029	+0.0%
1959	0.03	+3.4%
1960	0.028	-6.7%
1961	0.028	+0.0%
1962	0.029	+3.6%
1963	0.029	+0.0%
1964	0.029	+0.0%
1965	0.027	-6.9%
1966	0.027	+0.0%
1967	0.027	+0.0%
1968	0.027	+0.0%
1969	0.025	-7.4%
1970	0.025	+0.0%
1971	0.026	+4.0%
1972	0.025	-3.8%
1973	0.025	+0.0%
1974	0.024	-4.0%
1975	0.026	+8.3%
1976	0.026	+0.0%
1977	0.025	-3.8%
1978	0.025	+0.0%
1979	0.025	+0.0%
1980	0.025	+0.0%
1981	0.025	+0.0%
1982	0.025	+0.0%
1983	0.025	+0.0%
1984	0.025	+0.0%
1985	0.038	+52.0%
1986	0.087	+128.9%
1987	0.286	+228.7%
1988	0.291	+1.7%
1989	0.369	+26.8%
1990	0.564	+52.8%
1991	0.589	+4.4%
1992	0.816	+38.5%
1993	0.816	+0.0%
1994	0.816	+0.0%
1995	0.804	-1.5%
1996	0.8	-0.5%
1997	0.802	+0.3%
1998	0.802	+0.0%
1999	0.802	+0.0%
2000	0.602	-24.9%
2001	0.548	-9.0%
2002	0.52	-5.1%
2003	0.478	-8.1%
2004	0.458	-4.2%
2005	0.455	-0.7%
2006	0.452	-0.7%
2007	0.444	-1.8%
2008	0.433	-2.5%
2009	0.444	+2.5%
2010	0.441	-0.7%
2011	0.429	-2.7%
2012	0.381	-11.2%
2013	0.363	-4.7%
2014	0.318	-12.4%
2015	0.311	-2.2%
2016	0.306	-1.6%
2017	0.303	-1.0%
2018	0.305	+0.7%
2019	0.303	-0.7%
2020	0.288	-5.0%
2021	0.271	-5.9%
2022	0.156	-42.4%
2023	0.097	-37.8%
2024	0.08	-17.5%
2025	0.08	+0.0%

Russia compared with similar countries

Russia's 0.08 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.874, 9% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
Russia's 0.08 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7935, 10% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.164	0.164	0.164	1
1790s	0.087	0.087	0.087	10
1800s	0.087	0.087	0.087	10
1810s	0.087	0.087	0.087	10
1820s	0.0818	0.074	0.087	10
1830s	0.074	0.074	0.074	10
1840s	0.071	0.059	0.074	10
1850s	0.111	0.059	0.168	10
1860s	0.181	0.168	0.194	10
1870s	0.1751	0.167	0.194	10
1880s	0.1858	0.167	0.19	10
1890s	0.19	0.19	0.19	10
1900s	0.2187	0.199	0.242	10
1910s	0.1825	0.031	0.236	10
1920s	0.0243	0.018	0.032	10
1930s	0.0132	0.012	0.015	10
1940s	0.0127	0.012	0.015	10
1950s	0.0212	0.012	0.03	10
1960s	0.0276	0.025	0.029	10
1970s	0.0252	0.024	0.026	10
1980s	0.1196	0.025	0.369	10
1990s	0.7611	0.564	0.816	10
2000s	0.4834	0.433	0.602	10
2010s	0.346	0.303	0.441	10
2020s	0.162	0.08	0.288	6

Countries ranked near Russia

160 Vietnam 0.102 compare
161 Azerbaijan 0.092 compare
161 Saudi Arabia 0.092 compare
164 Cuba 0.074 compare
165 United Arab Emirates 0.063 compare
166 Qatar 0.055 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Russia

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 11,811 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 99,360 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0007 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 99,360 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Russia →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of expression index in Russia?: Freedom of expression index in Russia was 0.08 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Russia?: The highest recorded value was 0.816 in 1992.
What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Russia?: The lowest recorded value was 0.012 in 1934.
How does Russia rank for freedom of expression index?: Russia ranks 163rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Russia?: Over the last ten years it is down 74.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Russia data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Freedom of Expression Index in Russia. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/freedom-of-expression-index/russian-federation/

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About this data

Indicator: Freedom of Expression Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,035 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people can discuss political matters at home and in the public sphere, the press, and media are free and can present different political perspectives, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression.