OBJECTIVES: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of disability worldwide, but awareness of COPD and information regarding the burden of this disease are lacking worldwide, including Russia.  The aim of the current study was to assess the prevalence of COPD symptoms (cough with mucous, wheezing, and shortness of breath) among a representative sample of adults aged 40 and above in major cities in Russia.    METHODS: Data was obtained from the 2011 Russia National Health and Wellness Survey, a cross-sectional survey of the adult population in the city adult population in Russia which includes information on awareness, experience, and diagnosis of medical conditions, healthcare-related attitudes, demographic characteristics, and health outcomes.  The frequency of COPD symptoms was assessed using the Lung Function Questionnaire, and health status was assessed using the SF-12v2.  Those experiencing a symptom at least ‘sometimes’ were compared to those who experienced the symptom ‘rarely’ or less using independent-samples t-tests. RESULTS: 5920 adults aged 40 and older completed the survey.  After weighting, 45%, 27%, and 18% reported shortness of breath, coughing up mucous, and wheezing, respectively, and 54% reported at least one symptom. Only 23% of those surveyed were aware of COPD; awareness of COPD was greatest among those with the most symptoms but even among those with all three symptoms, only 31% were aware of the condition. Experience of each symptom was associated with worse mental and physical component summary scores on the SF-12v2, with decrements ranging from 2-6 points depending on the symptom and score considered.  CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory symptoms are common among adults living in Russian cities, which may indicate high COPD incidence. Awareness of COPD in Russia is lacking. A high proportion of adults aged 40 and older in Russia report frequent respiratory symptoms, and these symptoms are associated with significantly worse health status.