I am not really asking about what the USSR was like. I am asking about what Russians (as individuals) think socialism and communism is, and if they think that the USSR was communist.

Russia, the USSR, the USA, Canada etc etc or all socialist countries. They are simply different types of socialism. One is not more socialist than the other.

I am interested in knowing if they have a better understanding of socialism and communism than westerners do. That is not the same as knowing what socialism in the USSR was like. Or what people in the USA think socialism is.

I also know what socialism in the USSR was like, what I want to know is whether or not Russians think that what the USSR had the one and only type of socialism, or simply a version of socialism.

Karl Marx did not come up with communism or socialism.

Another way to put it is to ask, would a Russian (or even a Soviet citizen) look at the United States, or Canada, or a European country and say: "oh, they are socialist as well" (implies an understanding of what socialism is). Or would they say "I would rather live in a non-socialist country like the United States or Canada" (implies a lack of understanding of what socialism is).