The author, officer of MSU on the basis of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with T.N. Zemlyansky, presents results of her original comparative study of Russia’s image in the foreign information space and among representatives of the Russian elite. The results revealed differences between the images of Russia in the eyes of various members of Russian social elite (media workers, diplomats, representatives of the Federal Assembly), and the image of Russia among foreign citizens that is shaped by mass media. The role of mass media in shaping the image of Russia is analyzed and conditions of creating a positive image of Russia are outlined.