His best bet is Shengen, it would give him an opportunity to visit various "popular" European countries with you.
Because Russian tourists are often denied a visa exactly because they supposedly do not have enough "ties with their country", especially if they have a "clean" passport (no "serious" visas obtained before that).
If he's a student, it's much easier. If he has a job it depends on if his job is good enough, and on his overall financial state.