Putin’s Pals

Governance Ratings


 
The Economist compiled an index of countries ranked by geopolitical closeness to Russia. The table was headed "Putin's Pals". The countries featured (ranked in order of closeness) are shown below, with the World Economics Governance rating shown alongside.

The World Economics Governance Rating scale runs from A = Very good, to E = You don’t want to live there.

World Economics Governance Rating of “Putin’s Pals”
Governance: A = Good as it gets, E = Extremely poor

Country

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Governance
(Rated: A-E)

Belarus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E

Armenia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B

Kyrgyzstan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E

Iran

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E

Tajikistan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E

Kazakhstan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D

China

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E

Venezuela

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E

Nicaragua

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E

India

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C

Uzbekistan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E

Country

 

Governance
(Rated: A-E)

Belarus

 

E

Armenia

 

B

Kyrgyzstan

 

E

Iran

 

E

Tajikistan

 

E

Kazakhstan

 

D

China

 

E

Venezuela

 

E

Nicaragua

 

E

India

 

C

Uzbekistan

 

E
Source: World Economics Governance Index, 2025




Notes: Governance based on Rule of Law, Press Freedom, Political Rights and Corruption levels.
Sources: World Bank, RSF.org, Freedom House and Transparency International.

Russia, as might be expected, carries the lowest grade rating of E. No fewer than 7 of the 11 "pals" are also rated E grade. Two of the remaining four countries creep no higher than C grade.

Clearly a rather damning illustration of the old saying that "birds of a feather, flock together".

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