Russia
History Timeline
Travel through our timeline of major events in Russia's history.
800-900:
Scandinavian Vikings establish forts at Kiev (in Ukraine) and Novgorod.
1547:
Ivan IV, also known as Ivan the Terrible, is crowned the first czar, or emperor, of Russia.
1689-1725:
Czar Peter the Great builds a modern navy, organizes a new army and lays the foundation for the Russian Empire.
1855-1881:
During his reign, Alexander II frees the serfs, or peasant farmworkers.
1917:
The Russian Revolution. The workers' Bolshevik Party, led by Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky, takes control of the government. In 1918, Czar Nicholas II and his family are executed.
1922:
Russia becomes part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.).
1924-1953:
The brutal leader Joseph Stalin turns the U.S.S.R. into an industrial and military power. During World War II, the U.S.S.R. first sides with Germany, but later switches sides, joining the U.S. and Britain.
1948:
The Cold War begins. Relations between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. are tense. The U.S. believes that the Soviets' communist government and control of Eastern Europe are threats to U.S. security.
1961:
Cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin becomes the first man in space.
1985-1991:
Mikhail Gorbachev rises to power and begins to restructure the Communist party and government. Gorbachev’s reforms lead to the collapse of the U.S.S.R. Fifteen of the republics, including Russia, declare their independence.
1998:
Russia suffers from a severe financial crisis and the ruble, the Russian form of currency, is seriously devalued.
2000:
Vladimir Putin is elected president.