History of Russia in Timeline

Russia, officially the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country extending across Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. As the world's largest country, it spans eleven time zones and borders fourteen nations. With the largest population in Europe and the ninth-largest globally, Russia is highly urbanized, featuring sixteen cities with over a million residents. Moscow serves as its capital and largest city, while Saint Petersburg stands as the second-largest city and a significant cultural hub.

1904: First Nobel Prize awarded

Since 1904, Nobel Prizes have been awarded to 26 Soviets and Russians in various fields.

1905: Revolution of 1905

In 1905, the Revolution of 1905 was triggered by the failure of the Russo-Japanese War.

1906: Russian Constitution of 1906

In 1906, the government was forced to concede major reforms and establish the Russian Constitution of 1906.

1914: Russia enters World War I

In 1914, Russia entered World War I in response to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia.

1916: Brusilov Offensive

In 1916, the Brusilov Offensive of the Imperial Russian Army almost completely destroyed the Austro-Hungarian Army.

1917: Russian Revolution

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Russian literature split into Soviet and white émigré parts.

1917: Nicholas II Rule ends

Under Nicholas II, last Russian emperor, the Revolution of 1905 was triggered. His rule ended in 1917.

1918: Proclamation of the Russian SFSR

In 1918, after the Russian Revolution, the Russian SFSR was proclaimed.

1918: Russia declared a democratic federal republic

On January 19, 1918, the Russian Constituent Assembly declared Russia a democratic federal republic. The next day, the Constituent Assembly was dissolved.

1921: Russian Famine

The Russian famine of 1921-1922 claimed up to five million victims.

December 1922: Formation of the Soviet Union

On December 30, 1922, Lenin and his aides formed the Soviet Union, by joining the Russian SFSR into a single state with other republics.

1922: Russian Famine

The Russian famine of 1921-1922 claimed up to five million victims.

1924: Lenin's Death

Following Lenin's death in 1924, a troika was designated to take charge.

1929: Trotsky exiled

In 1929, Leon Trotsky was exiled from the Soviet Union, and Stalin's idea of Socialism in One Country became the official line.

1930: Russian Avant-Garde

The Russian avant-garde flourished from approximately 1890 to 1930.

1932: Soviet Famine

In 1932-1933, the Soviet famine killed millions.

1933: Soviet Famine

In 1932-1933, the Soviet famine killed millions.

September 1939: Soviet Invasion of Poland

On September 17, 1939, the Soviet Union entered World War II with its invasion of Poland.

June 1941: Germany invades the Soviet Union

On June 22, 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, opening the Eastern Front of World War II.

1941: Siege of Leningrad

Between 1941 and 1944, the Siege of Leningrad occurred where the city was blockaded and suffered starvation.

1941: World War II

The 1941-1945 period of World War II is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War.

1942: Battle of Stalingrad

In the winter of 1942-1943, the Germans were dealt a major defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad.

1943: Battle of Kursk

In the summer of 1943, the Germans were dealt a major defeat at the Battle of Kursk.

1944: Soviet forces in Eastern and Central Europe

In 1944-1945, Soviet forces steamrolled through Eastern and Central Europe.

May 1945: Capture of Berlin

In May 1945, Soviet forces captured Berlin.

August 1945: Red Army invades Manchuria

In August 1945, the Red Army invaded Manchuria and ousted the Japanese from Northeast Asia, contributing to the Allied victory over Japan.

1945: World War II

The 1941-1945 period of World War II is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War.

1946: Soviet Famine

The Soviet famine of 1946-1947 occured after World War II.

1947: Soviet Famine

The Soviet famine of 1946-1947 occured after World War II.

1953: Death of Stalin

After Stalin's death in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin and launched the policy of de-Stalinization.

1954: First nuclear power plant

In 1954, Russia built the world's first nuclear power plant.

1957: Laika orbits Earth

In 1957, Laika, a Soviet space dog, became the first animal to orbit the Earth aboard Sputnik 2.

1957: Launch of Sputnik 1

In 1957, Russia launched Sputnik 1, the first Earth-orbiting artificial satellite.

1958: Battleship Potemkin acclaimed

In 1958, the film Battleship Potemkin was named the greatest film of all time at the Brussels World's Fair.

1960: Euro 1960

In 1960, the Soviet Union national football team became the first European champions by winning Euro 1960.

April 1961: First Human in Orbit

On April 12, 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth, aboard the Vostok 1 crewed spacecraft.

1961: First human spaceflight

In 1961, Yuri Gagarin successfully made the first human trip into space.

1961: Sergey Bondarchuk directs War and Peace

In 1961–68 Sergey Bondarchuk directed an Oscar-winning film adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's epic War and Peace, which was the most expensive film made in the Soviet Union.

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1963: First woman in space

In 1963, Valentina Tereshkova became the first and youngest woman in space, flying a solo mission on Vostok 6.

1964: Ousting of Khrushchev

Following the ousting of Khrushchev in 1964, another period of collective rule ensued, until Leonid Brezhnev became the leader.

1965: First spacewalk

In 1965, Alexei Leonov became the first human to conduct a spacewalk during the Voskhod 2 mission.

1965: Kosygin reform

In 1965, the Kosygin reform aimed for partial decentralisation of the Soviet economy.

1966: Luna 9 lands on the Moon

In 1966, Luna 9 became the first spacecraft to achieve a survivable landing on the Moon.

1968: Zond 5 circumnavigates the Moon

In 1968, Zond 5 brought the first Earthlings (two tortoises and other life forms) to circumnavigate the Moon.

1969: Release of White Sun of the Desert

In 1969, Vladimir Motyl's White Sun of the Desert was released, a very popular film in a genre of ostern; the film is traditionally watched by cosmonauts before any trip into space.

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1970: Venera 7 lands on Venus

In 1970, Venera 7 became the first spacecraft to land on another planet, Venus.

1971: Mars 3 lands on Mars

In 1971, Mars 3 became the first spacecraft to land on Mars.

1979: Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

In 1979, Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan, starting the Soviet-Afghan War.

1980: Moscow Summer Olympic Games

In 1980, the Summer Olympic Games were held in Moscow.

1985: Gorbachev's reforms

From 1985 onwards, Mikhail Gorbachev introduced the policies of glasnost and perestroika.

May 1988: Withdrawal from Afghanistan

In May 1988, the Soviets started to withdraw from Afghanistan.

1988: Euro 1988

In 1988, the Soviet Union national football team reached the finals of Euro 1988.

June 1991: Yeltsin elected President

In June 1991, Boris Yeltsin became the first directly elected President in Russian history.

August 1991: Coup attempt

In August 1991, a coup d'état attempt by members of Gorbachev's government led to the end of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

December 1991: Dissolution of the Soviet Union

On December 25, 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, fourteen other post-Soviet states emerged.

1991: Dissolution of the Soviet Union

In 1991, the Russian SFSR emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union as the Russian Federation.

1991: Soviet economy crisis

Prior to 1991, the Soviet economy was the world's second-largest, but during its final years, it went into a crisis.

1992: Price Controls Eliminated

In 1992, most consumer price controls were eliminated, causing extreme inflation and significantly devaluing the rouble.

1993: Peak population

In 1993, Russia's population peaked at over 148 million.

1993: Constitutional crisis

In late 1993, tensions between Yeltsin and the Russian parliament culminated in a constitutional crisis which ended violently.

1998: Russian financial crisis

In 1998, high budget deficits caused the Russian financial crisis, resulting in a GDP decline.

December 1999: Yeltsin resigns, Putin takes over

On December 31, 1999, President Yeltsin resigned, handing the post to Vladimir Putin.

2000: Establishment of federal districts

In 2000, Vladimir Putin established the federal districts of Russia to facilitate central government control over the federal subjects.

2000: Putin wins presidential election

In 2000, Vladimir Putin won the presidential election, and defeated the Chechen insurgency in the Second Chechen War.

2000: Incarceration rate decrease

Since 2000, Russia's incarceration rate has fallen steadily, by 59%.

2002: Grigori Perelman offered Clay Millennium Prize

In 2002, Grigori Perelman was offered the first ever Clay Millennium Prize Problems Award for his final proof of the Poincaré conjecture.

2004: Putin won a second presidential term

In 2004, Vladimir Putin secured his second presidential term. This period saw significant improvements in the Russian economy and living standards due to high oil prices and increased foreign investment.

2004: Freedom House Ranking

Since 2004, Freedom House has ranked Russia as "not free" in its Freedom in the World survey.

2005: CSKA Moscow wins UEFA Cup

In 2005, Russian club CSKA Moscow won the UEFA Cup.

2006: Grigori Perelman awarded Fields Medal

In 2006, Grigori Perelman was awarded the Fields Medal.

2007: EuroBasket 2007

In 2007, the Russian national basketball team won the EuroBasket 2007.

August 2008: Russo-Georgian War

During 1–12 August 2008, the Russo-Georgian War took place after a diplomatic crisis with Georgia. This resulted in Russia's recognition of two separatist states in occupied Georgian territories and marked the first European war of the 21st century.

2008: War with Georgia

In 2008, Russia was militarily involved in a war with Georgia.

2008: Zenit Saint Petersburg wins UEFA Cup and Euro 2008

In 2008, Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg won the UEFA Cup, and the Russian national football team reached the semi-finals of Euro 2008.

2008: Putin became Prime Minister

In 2008, Vladimir Putin transitioned to the role of Prime Minister, with Dmitry Medvedev becoming President for a single term, a move seen as a way for Putin to retain power despite term limits; this period has been described as a "tandemocracy".

2009: Annual population growth

In 2009, Russia recorded annual population growth for the first time in fifteen years.

2010: Languages spoken

According to the Russian Census of 2010, 137.5 million across the country spoke Russian, 4.3 million spoke Tatar, and 1.1 million spoke Ukrainian.

2010: Religious populations and nationalities of Russia

In 2012, Arena Atlas was published as an adjunct to the 2010 census. The results showed that 47.3% of Russians declared themselves Christians.

2010: Ethnic Russians

In the 2010 census, roughly 81% of the population were ethnic Russians.

2011: Space Shuttle programme

Between the final flight of the Space Shuttle programme in 2011 and the 2020 SpaceX's first crewed mission, Soyuz rockets were the only launch vehicles capable of transporting astronauts to the ISS.

2011: Economist Intelligence Unit Ranking

Since 2011, the Economist Intelligence Unit has ranked Russia as an "authoritarian regime" in its Democracy Index.

2012: Putin won presidential election

In 2012, Vladimir Putin won the presidential election, which fueled the "Snow Revolution" protests.

2012: Arena Atlas published

In 2012, the research organization Sreda, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, published the Arena Atlas, enumerating in detail the religious populations and nationalities of Russia, based on a large-sample country-wide survey.

2013: Anti-LGBTQ law

In 2013, an anti-LGBTQ law banning "gay propaganda" was unanimously passed by the State Duma and the Federation Council, later being signed into law by Vladimir Putin.

2014: Expulsion from G8

In 2014, Russia was expelled from the G8 (now G7).

2014: Sochi Winter Olympics and Paralympics

In 2014, the Winter Olympics and the Winter Paralympics were hosted in Sochi.

2014: Russia annexed Crimea

In early 2014, following a pro-Western revolution in Ukraine, Russia annexed Crimea after a disputed referendum. This annexation led to an insurgency in the Donbas region, supported by Russian military intervention.

2014: War with Ukraine begins

Since 2014, Russia has been militarily involved in a war with Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea.

2015: Paris Agreement

In 2015, Russia joined the Paris Agreement on climate change.

2015: Social security system

In 2015, Russia's social security system comprised roughly 16% of the total GDP.

2017: Russia hosts FIFA Confederations Cup

In 2017, Russia was the host nation for the FIFA Confederations Cup.

2017: Jehovah's Witnesses outlawed

In 2017, the Jehovah's Witnesses were outlawed in Russia, facing persecution ever since.

2018: Education Spending

In 2018, Russia spent roughly 4.7% of its GDP on education.

2018: Russia hosts FIFA World Cup

In 2018, Russia was the host nation for the FIFA World Cup.

2018: Tourism statistics

In 2018, Russia was the sixteenth-most visited country in the world and the tenth-most visited in Europe, with over 24.6 million visits and $11.6 billion in international tourism receipts.

2018: Fishing industry

In 2018, Russia's fishing industry captured nearly 5 million tons of fish, ranking as the world's sixth-largest.

2018: Shadow economy size

In 2018, Russia's shadow economy was estimated to be about 44% of the total GDP.

2018: Putin was re-elected

In 2018, amidst nationwide protests against corruption, Vladimir Putin was re-elected for his second consecutive term as president.

2019: Fifth-largest road network

As of 2019, Russia had the world's fifth-largest road network, with over 1.5 million km of roads, but a low road density due to its vast land area.

2019: Immigrant population

As of 2019, Russia has the third-largest immigrant population in the world, with over 12 million immigrants residing in the country.

2019: Income inequality

As of 2019, the top 10% of Russian society received about 46% of the national income, while the bottom half received only 20%, comparable to the share of the top 1%.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index

In 2019, Russia had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 9.02, ranking 10th out of 172 countries and the first ranked major nation globally.

2019: Research and development spending

In 2019, Russia spent about 1% of its GDP on research and development, ranking tenth worldwide.

2019: International Students in Russia

In 2019, Russia was the world's fifth-leading destination for international students, hosting roughly 300 thousand.

2019: Inbound trips of foreign citizens

In 2019, the number of inbound trips of foreign citizens to Russia amounted to 24.4 million, and travel and tourism accounted for about 4.8% of the country's total GDP.

2019: Ratification of Paris Agreement

Russia ratified the Paris Agreement in 2019.

2020: Immigrants from post-Soviet states

As of 2020, the vast majority of immigrants in Russia hail from post-Soviet states, with about half of them being from Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

2020: SpaceX's first crewed mission

Between the final flight of the Space Shuttle programme in 2011 and the 2020 SpaceX's first crewed mission, Soyuz rockets were the only launch vehicles capable of transporting astronauts to the ISS.

2020: Scientific publications

In 2020, Russia ranked tenth worldwide in the number of scientific publications, with roughly 1.3 million papers.

2020: Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage

In 2020, the Russian parliament legalized a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

2020: Decline in tourism

In 2020, tourism in Russia declined precipitously due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with just over 6.3 million foreign visitors.

2020: Largest peacetime population decline

Since 2020, excessive deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the largest peacetime decline in Russia's history.

2021: Intentional homicide rate

As of 2021, Russia's intentional homicide rate stood at 6.8 per 100,000 people.

2021: Global Innovation Index

In 2021, Russia ranked 45th in the Global Innovation Index.

2021: Healthcare Expenditure

In 2021, Russia spent 7.39% of its GDP on healthcare.

2021: Russian LGBT Network as a "foreign agent"

In 2021, the Ministry of Justice designated the LGBTQ rights group Russian LGBT Network as a "foreign agent".

2021: Census population

In the 2021 census, Russia's population was 147.2 million.

February 2022: Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This marked the largest conventional war in Europe since World War II and was met with international condemnation and expanded sanctions against Russia.

2022: Hydroelectric producer

As of 2022, Russia is the fifth-largest hydroelectric producer, with hydroelectric power contributing almost a fifth to the total energy generation (17%).

2022: Life Expectancy in Russia

As of 2022, the overall life expectancy in Russia at birth is 73 years (68 years for males and 78 years for females).

2022: Invasion of Ukraine and human rights abuses

During the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia established filtration camps where many Ukrainians are subjected to abuses and forcibly sent to Russia. Political repression also increased following the start of the invasion, with laws adopted that establish punishments for "discrediting" the armed forces.

2022: Developed relations with North Korea

Following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia significantly developed its relations with North Korea, with increased defence co-operation.

2022: Financial actions from the Western world and its allies

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the country has faced extensive sanctions and other negative financial actions from the Western world and its allies which have the aim of isolating the Russian economy from the Western financial system.

2022: Deepening demographic crisis

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the demographic crisis has deepened due to high military fatalities and renewed emigration.

2022: Annexation of Ukrainian Regions

In 2022, Russia annexed four other regions of Ukraine during its ongoing invasion.

2022: Expulsion from Council of Europe

In 2022, Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe.

2022: Further amendments to the 2013 anti-LGBTQ law

In 2022, further amendments were made to the 2013 anti-LGBTQ law.

2022: Formula One Russian Grand Prix Termination

In 2022, the annual Formula One Russian Grand Prix was terminated following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

2022: Deployment of penal military units

Since 2022, penal military units have been deployed as storm troops during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, such as the Storm-Z and Storm-V units.

June 2023: Wagner Group declared open rebellion

In June 2023, the Wagner Group, a private military contractor fighting for Russia in Ukraine, initiated an open rebellion against the Russian Ministry of Defence, capturing Rostov-on-Don, before beginning a march on Moscow. The rebellion was later called off after negotiations, and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, died in a plane crash.

2023: Active satellites

As of 2023, Russia has 181 active satellites in space, which is the third-highest in the world.

2023: Energy producer and exporter

As of 2023, Russia is the second-largest producer and the third-largest exporter of natural gas, as well as the second-largest producer and exporter of crude oil.

2023: Third-largest electricity producer

As of 2023, Russia is the world's third-largest electricity producer, with fossil fuels accounting for over 64% of energy production and 87% of energy consumption.

2023: Military Expenditure

As of 2023, Russia maintained the world's third-highest military expenditure, spending $109 billion, corresponding to about 5.9% of its GDP.

2023: Greenhouse gas emissions

As of 2023, Russia's greenhouse gas emissions are the fourth-largest in the world.

2023: Agriculture contribution to GDP

As of 2023, agriculture, forestry, and fishing contribute about 3.3% of Russia's total GDP.

2023: Service sector accounts for roughly 57% of total GDP

As of 2023, the service sector accounts for roughly 57% of total GDP, followed by the industrial sector (30%), while the agricultural sector is the smallest, at 3% of total GDP.

2023: Illegal arms trade market

In 2023, Russia had the world's second-largest illegal arms trade market, after the United States, was described as a key hub for human trafficking, and was ranked first in Europe and 19th globally in the Global Organized Crime Index.

2023: Bill banning gender reassignment surgery

In 2023, the Russian parliament passed a bill banning gender reassignment surgery for transgender people and the Supreme Court of Russia banned the international LGBTQ movement as "extremist", outlawing it in the country.

2024: Diplomatic Network Status

As of 2024, Russia has the world's sixth-largest diplomatic network, maintaining relations with numerous states and international organizations.

2024: Corruption Perceptions Index ranking

As of 2024, Russia is the lowest rated European country in Transparency International's annual Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking 154th out of the 180 countries listed.

2024: Total fertility rate

As of 2024, the total fertility rate across Russia is estimated to be 1.41 children born per woman.

2024: Global Innovation Index ranking

In 2024, Russia ranked 60th in the Global Innovation Index, down from 45th in 2021.

2024: Press Freedom Index Ranking

In 2024, Russia was ranked 162nd out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders' Press Freedom Index.

2024: Oil and gas sector revenue

In 2024, Russia's large oil and gas sector accounted for 30% of its federal budget revenues, down from 50% in the mid-2010s.

2024: Putin won third consecutive term

In 2024, Vladimir Putin won his third consecutive term in the presidential election, securing 88% of the vote, which is the highest percentage in a post-Soviet Russian presidential election.

2024: Religious Identification in Russia

In 2024, a survey by the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) revealed that 61.8% of Russians identify as Orthodox Christians, 2.6% as other Christians, 9.5% as Muslims, 21.2% as not religious, 1.4% follow other religions, and 3.5% are unsure.

2024: First convictions from the latter ruling

In 2024, the Supreme Court issued the first convictions from the latter ruling.

2025: Military Personnel Count

As of 2025, the Russian Armed Forces have 1.1 million active-duty personnel, making it the world's fifth-largest, and about 1.5 million reserve personnel.