Anti-Russian sentiment, commonly referred to as Russophobia, is dislike or fear of Russia, the Russians, Russian culture, or Russian policy. The Collins English Dictionary defines it as intense and often irrational hatred of Russia. It is often related to anti-Soviet and occasionally also to anti-Slavic sentiment. The opposite of Russophobia is Russophilia.

Historically, Russophobia has included state-sponsored and grassroots mistreatment and discrimination, as well as propaganda containing anti-Russian sentiment. While in Western Europe Russophobia was based on various more or less fantastic fears of Russian conquest of Europe, such as those based on The Will of Peter the Great forgery documented in France in the 19th century and later resurfacing in Britain as a result of fears of a Russian attack on British-colonized India in relation to the Great Game, the modern-day negative attitude and distrust to Russia in nations of Central and Eastern Europe has been anchored in long-lasting oppression by Russia. Pre-existing anti-Russian sentiment in Germany is considered to be one of the factors influencing treatment of Russian population under German occupation during World War II.

Nowadays, a variety of popular culture clichés and negative stereotypes about Russians still exist, notably in the Western world. Some individuals may have prejudice or hatred against Russians due to history, racism, propaganda, or ingrained stereotypes. Negative views of Russia are widespread, but most prevalent in Western liberal democracies.

Some analysts have argued that official Western rhetoric and journalism about Russian actions abroad have contributed to the resurgence of anti-Russian sentiment, besides disapproval of the Second Chechen War, Russian reaction to NATO expansion, the 2008 Russo-Georgian war and Russian interference in the 2016 United States election. Anti-Russian sentiment worsened considerably after the Russian actions in Ukraine in 2014. By the summer of 2020, majority of Western nations had unfavorable views of Russia. Academic and former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul spoke about "combatting Russophobia", appealing to US officials and journalists to cease "demonizing" Russian people, criticizing propagation of stereotypes about Russians, Russian culture and Russian national proclivities. Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian-speaking immigrants experienced harassment, open hostility and discrimination.

Some researchers have described use of the "Russophobic" narrative to be a tactic used by Vladimir Putin. This narrative emphasizes the belief that Russia faces an existential threat from the Western powers and must take drastic measures to ensure domestic stability including support for the ongoing war in Ukraine, and has been characterized by its critics as radical nationalism and neo-imperialism.

In a speech for the Security Council of the United Nations during the Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022, the historian Timothy Snyder described the Russian claims about Russophobia as a strategy partly to justify Russian attacks and war crimes against other nations, and partly to shift attention away from Russian atrocities and instead unto allegedly just and fair feelings among Russians. Russian feelings are valued higher than the lives of non-Russians. The aggressor, Russia, portrays itself as a victim of Russophobia from others. The reference to "phobia" is a hint about the opponents having a mental disease so they must be defeated. Thus, when countries like Ukraine resist Russian attack and occupation, they are mentally ill and hostile, giving Russians further inspiration to attack and occupy. Snyder claims that in reality, the harm to the Russian people and Russian culture is a direct consequence of a long series of actions from the Russian government; he mentions ten areas where he claims that this is the case, among them destruction of free journalism and freedom of speech in Russia, Russian assaults where Russian speakers and ethnic Russians living in Ukraine are killed, and Russian soldiers who are killed during Russian attacks.