The altmetrics are not utilized to the full extent despite their potential. The author discusses the findings of the survey of researchers’ and professionals’ awareness of altmetrics, and reviews in brief the history of altmetrics and changing attitude toward altmetrics in Russia and Worldwide. The purpose of the study is to define, based on the critical analysis of 2020 and 2025 surveys, the changes in the altmetrics perception among the Russian scientists. The survey revealed the gradual increase of the interest to altmetrics among Russian users in the national science in the past five years. However, a significant part of respondents (49.0%) is puzzled with the term definition which evidences on their unawareness. The key, in respondents’ opinion, alternative indicators are characterized, i. e. loads, recommendations, views. The author emphasizes that the respondents consider citation the most significant indicators as related to the altmetrics. She also discusses the most popular tools, e.g. Altmetric and Plum Analytics, used in the global practice and integrated into Russian information systems. To get altmetrics data, the researchers and professional access e-libraries and open information resources and services (e. g. Dimensions, Open Alex, etc.). The study is completed within the framework of the R&D Plan of the State Public Scientific and Technological Library of the RAS Siberian Branch, project “Development of the model of scientific library operation within the information ecosystem of open science”, No. 122041100150-3.