On 24 December 2012, he was named the head coach of the Russian national team. The team, named as one of the favorites in the EuroBasket 2013, suffered a shocking fate, and was eliminated in the group stage. Not only was this the worst EuroBasket appearance for the team, but it also lost its usual spot at the 2014 World Championship. On 21 October 2013, under heavy criticism from the Russian Basketball Federation, Vainauskas resigned from the post.