Razil Guzayev, one of the co-authors of the study, told RBC that in many textbooks, Russia is portrayed as a dominant force that exploited the territories it controlled. The Russian Academy of Sciences warns that such portrayals could contribute to the development of anti-Russian sentiment, xenophobia, and Russophobia in the future.

Kazakhstan was cited as a prominent example in the study. History textbooks in the country describe Russia's occupation as a colonial military policy aimed at exploiting natural resources and controlling the population. These textbooks also highlight the 1921 famine, which caused mass deaths and protests, while Pyotr Stolypin’s resettlement policies are presented as a source of social conflict.

In Azerbaijan, the establishment of Soviet rule is depicted as a military occupation designed to suppress the population, while modern textbooks also emphasize Russia's role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Armenia's newer textbooks describe the annexation of Eastern Armenia by Russia as a forced act of aggression. In the past, the Russian Foreign Ministry had even labeled these materials as "provocative."

In Uzbekistan, Russia's imperial and Soviet rule is portrayed as damaging to the country’s national identity and economy.

Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan offer a somewhat more positive view of Russia’s influence, particularly in terms of economic and educational development during the Soviet era.

The study also revealed that Russia’s negative portrayal is not limited to former Soviet republics. In Israeli textbooks, both the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union are depicted as anti-Semitic regimes. In Iran, Russian policy is described as interfering in the country's internal affairs, supporting regimes that primarily served Russia's own interests.