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Russia

country in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, the largest in the world by area

115 dated entries naming Russia, drawn from 86 separate years between 2500 BCE and 2025 CE. Nothing here is written by us: each line is the sentence a Wikipedia year article used, and the link beside it opens the exact revision.

Also written as Russian Federation in the source articles; Wikipedia redirects those to the same subject, so their entries are on this page.

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25th century BC

  • 2500 BCEc. 2500 BC: N1c Y-DNA first found from Europe from Serteya II (located in modern day Smolensk Oblast in Russia).source

12th century BC

  • 1200 BCEc. 1200 BC: The Cimmerians are conjectured to have started settling the steppes of southern Russia.source

2nd century

  • 134Arrianus, Roman governor of Cappadocia, repulses an attack of the Alani, a nomadic tribe from southeastern Russia.source

8th century

  • 743743 Caspian Gates earthquake. It took place in the Caspian Gates (Gates of Alexander). The location is identified with either Derbent, Russia or Talis, Iran.source
  • 753The town of Staraja Ladoga (Northern Russia) is founded by Scandinavians. The settlement becomes a prosperous trading outpost for jewelry, casual items, craft tools and dress adornments (approximate date).source
  • 800The Rus' Khaganate is created by people who are called Rus', after the 182-year dominance of the Khazars. This is the starting period of the rise of the Kievan Rus', and the later states of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine (approximate date).source

9th century

  • 862The Varangians (called Rus'), under the leadership of Rurik, a Viking chieftain, arrive (with his brothers, Sineus and Truvor) at Staraya Ladoga. He builds a trade settlement near Novgorod (modern Russia), and founds the Rurik Dynasty.source

11th century

  • 1032The first mention is made of Kursk, Russia, in the hagiography of Theodosius, who becomes a monk at the Kiev Caves Monastery (approximate date).source

12th century

  • 1146The city of Bryansk (modern Russia) is first mentioned in the Hypatian Codex.source

13th century

  • 1216April 22 – Battle of Lipitsa: The Kievan princes Mstislav Mstislavich and Konstantin of Rostov defeat Konstantin's younger brothers Yuri II and Yaroslav II for the rule of the Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal (modern Russia).source
  • 1223April – The Russian princes lead their separate armies from different parts of Russia, to assemble 60 kilometres downriver from Kiev. There are three main groups of princes taking part in the campaign; the Kievan army is represented by Grand Prince Mstislav Romanovich (the Old). The second group are the Chernigov and Smolensk armies under Prince Mstislav II. The third group is the Galician-Volhynian army under Mstislav Mstislavich with his son-in-law Daniel of Galicia, leaving from northern Ukraine.source
  • 1238March 4 – Battle of the Sit River: The Mongols defeat a Kievan Rus' army (some 4,000 men) under Grand Prince Yuri II of Vladimir in an engagement at the Sit River (located in the Sonkovsky District). With Yuri's death, so too dies the hope of any united Rus' resistance against the Mongols. Batu Khan splits his forces up into several contingents – ordering each to wreak havoc across the Rus' territories (modern-day Russia and Ukraine).source

14th century

  • 1360Dmitri Konstantinovich is installed as ruler of Vladimir (in modern-day western Russia) by the Khan of the White Horde.source
  • 1375The Russian town of Kostroma is destroyed by the ushkuynik pirates from Novgorod.source
  • 1375March 31 – In the Principality of Nizhny Novgorod-Suzdal (now part of Russia), the Grand Prince Dmitry of Suzdal oversees the massacre of the Tatar prisoners of war who had been captured during the Blue Horde's unsuccessful attempt by Sary-Aka to incite a rebellion against the principality's domination by Moscow.source
  • 1379February 28 – In what is now part of Kazakhstan and Russia, Tulak Khan of Borjigin is confirmed by the Beylerbey Mamai of the Golden Horde, with the approval of the ruler Tokhtamysh, after Mamai arranges the assassination of Tulak's cousin, the former khan.source
  • 1383June 5 – Dmitry Konstantinovich, Russian prince (born 1324)source
  • 1397The Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery is founded in northwestern Russia.source
  • 1398Ferapontov Monastery is founded in modern-day northwest Russia by Therapont of Belozersk.source

16th century

  • 15804 November - Conquest of Kexholm in Russiasource
  • 1582January 15 – Russia cedes its conquered areas in Livonia (Northern Latvia and Southern Estonia), to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.source
  • 1584March 28 (O.S. March 18) – Ivan the Terrible, ruler of Russia since 1533, dies; he is succeeded as Tsar by his son, Feodor.source

17th century

  • 1608September 23 – The siege of the Troitsky monastery by the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth begins in Russia north of Moscow, but fails after 16 months.source
  • 1613March 3 (February 21 O.S.) – An assembly of the Russian Empire elects Mikhail Romanov Tsar of Russia, ending the Time of Troubles. The House of Romanov will remain a ruling dynasty until 1917.source
  • 1660May 27 – William Morice takes office as the first Secretary of State for the Northern Department in Great Britain, with responsibility for conducting foreign relations with the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Poland, Russia, and the Holy Roman Empire. Relations with France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, the Italian states, and the Ottoman Empire are assigned to the Secretary of State for the Southern Department. The position will eventually evolve into the office of the Foreign Secretary.source
  • 167826 September – Peter Lacy, soldier, imperial commander in Russia (d.1751)source
  • 1689Resolved with the signing of the Treaty of Nerchinsk, the first treaty between Russia (Tsardom of Russia) and China (Great Qing Empire). The Russians gave up the area north of the Amur River as far as the Stanovoy Range and kept the area between the Argun River and Lake Baikal.source

18th century

  • 1704Nerchinsky Zavod is founded in the Nerchinsko-Zavodsky District of Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia by Greek mining engineers.source
  • 1719July 11 – Russia's Baltic Sea fleet is first spotted from the Swedish coast, starting the Russian Pillage of 1719–21 as part of the Great Northern War.source
  • 1723October 23 – Russian Emperor Peter the Great authorizes an incentive for men of Serbia to join a new Russian Imperial Army unit, the Serbian Hussar Regiment. The Emperor sends Jovan Albanez to recruit new officers and troops with a grant of farmable land in Russia, and 1,070 take advantage of the offer over the next two years.source
  • 1724January 28 – Saint Petersburg State University is established in Russia.source
  • 1734June 30 – War of the Polish Succession: Russian troops take Gdańsk (German: Danzig), which had been besieged since February 1734, after the failure of a French expedition to relieve the city.source
  • 1737January 9 – The Empires of Austria and Russia enter into a secret military alliance that leads to Austria's disastrous entry into the Russo-Turkish War.source
  • 1737October 16 – An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 9.3 occurs off the shore of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. Tsunamis up to 60 m high follow in the Pacific ocean.source
  • 1741Vitus Bering, in service of Russia, reaches Alaska; Russians soon trade with natives for sea otter pelts.source
  • 1743Concentrated hunting of sea otter by Russia begins.source
  • 1744May 11 – Russia's treasury begins an effort to reduce the number of copper five-kopeck pieces (20 of which equal a Russian ruble) by declaring that it will buy them back at a ruble for every 20 until August 1, after which kopecks would be redeemed at a ruble for every 25; then at the rate of 33 for a ruble on October 1, and 50 for a ruble on and after August 28, 1746.source
  • 17446 June - French agent Jacques-Joachim Trotti, marquis de la Chétardie is ordered to leave Russia within 24 hours by Empress Elizabeth, following intrigues against Alexey Bestuzhev.source
  • 1750December 25 – Prussia and Russia break off diplomatic relations after the Russians refuse to stop assisting the Electorate of Saxony. Five years later, the two Empires fight the Seven Years' War.source
  • 175520 November – William Pitt the Elder is dismissed from the position of Paymaster of the Forces while Henry Bilson Legge resigns as Chancellor of the Exchequer and George Grenville as Treasurer of the Navy in protest over payments made to Russia to protect Hanover.source
  • 1758January 22 – Russian troops under the command of William Fermor invade East Prussia and capture Königsberg with 34,000 soldiers; although the city is later abandoned by Russia after the Seven Years' War ends, the city again comes under Russian control in 1945 during World War II and is now named Kaliningrad.source
  • 177129 April - Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli, Italian architect who worked mainly in Russia. (born 1700)source
  • 17808 March – American Revolutionary War: the League of Armed Neutrality is formed by Russia with Denmark and Sweden to try to prevent the Royal Navy from searching neutral vessels for contraband.source
  • 1784September 22 – Russia establishes a colony at Kodiak, Alaska.source
  • 1784September 22 – Russia establishes their first colony in Kodiak, Alaska.source
  • 1794September 28 – Austria, Britain and Russia ally against France.source
  • 1799Alexander Baranov establishes Russian post known today as Old Sitka; trade charter grants exclusive trading rights to the Russian American Company.source
  • 180016 December – Denmark enters a pact of neutrality with Sweden and Russia, and on 18 December also with Prussia.source

19th century

  • 1802The Tlingit start resisting Russian incursions into their territory.source
  • 1804Russians return to Sitka and attack Kiksadi fort on Indian River. Russians lose the battle, but Natives are forced to flee. Baranov re-establishes trading post.source
  • 18052 December - Battle of Austerlitz. A decisive victory for the French army over Austria and Russia.source
  • 1822October 20 – The Congress of Verona opens in the Austrian-ruled province of Lombardy-Venetia. The event is the largest diplomatic gathering since the Congress of Vienna seven years earlier. The Congress lasts until December 14, and Russia, Austria and Prussia approve French intervention in Spain.source
  • 1824Russians begin exploration of mainland that leads to discovery of Nushagak, Kuskokwim, Yukon, and Koyukuk Rivers.source
  • 1826May - The agreement from 1825 between Norway and Russia, making Paatsjoki (Pasvikelva) and Jakobselva border between the two countries, is ratifiedsource
  • 182720 October - Battle of Navarino: A combined British, French and Russian naval force destroys a combined Ottoman and Egyptian armada.source
  • 1831September 8– Battle of Warsaw: The Army of Russia takes the Polish capital after a two-day battle to crush the Polish uprising.source
  • 185516 August – Battle of Chernaya River: Russian troops are defeated by French and Sardinian forces in the Crimean War.source
  • 1856January 28 - The port of Shimoda is opened per Japan's first treaty of amity with Russia. (Traditional Japanese Date: Twenty-first Day of the Twelfth Month, 1855)source
  • 1865Russian forces capture the Central Asian city of Tashkent, then part of the Khanate of Kokand. At the time, Tashkent had about 70,000 inhabitants and was a major centre of trade with Russia.source
  • 187721 July – the Cabinet decides to declare war on Russia if it occupies Constantinople in the Russo-Turkish War.source

20th century

  • 1911August 27 – CSKA Moscow, a professional multi-sports club in Russia, is officially founded.source
  • 1914January 29 – Tsar Nicholas II of Russia dismisses his 4th Prime Minister, Vladimir Kokovtsov due to his "lack of control over the press", he is succeeded by Ivan Goremykin for his second termsource
  • 1917April 8 (N.S.) (March 26, O.S.) – In Petrograd, 40,000 ethnic Estonians demand national autonomy within Russia.source
  • 1917April 12 (N.S.) (March 30 O.S.) – The Autonomous Governorate of Estonia is formed within Russia, from the Governorate of Estonia and the northern part of the Governorate of Livonia.source
  • 1922June 1 – The first issue of the magazine Krestyanka is published in Russia.source
  • 1956July 31 – Luzhniki Stadium, well known sports venue of Russia and the Soviet Union, officially opens in Moscow.source
  • 1986April 26 – Chernobyl disaster: A mishandled safety test at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Pripyat, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union "killed at least 4,056 people and damaged almost $7 billion of property". Radioactive fallout from the accident is concentrated near Belarus, Ukraine and Russia and at least 350,000 people are forcibly resettled away from these areas. After the accident, "traces of radioactive deposits unique to Chernobyl were in nearly every country in the northern hemisphere".source
  • 1989August – Gazprom, an energy production and sales organization in Russia, becomes state-run enterprise, changing from the Soviet Ministry of Gas Industry.source
  • 1990October 17 – A major financial service of Russia, VTB Bank is founded in Russia SSR, former part of Soviet Union, as predecessor name was Vneshtorg Bank.source
  • 1991December 8 – Dissolution of the Soviet Union: In the Białowieża Forest Nature Reserve in Belarus, the leaders of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine sign an agreement officially ending the Soviet Union and establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in its place.source
  • 1991December 8 – In the Białowieża Forest Nature Reserve in Belarus, the leaders of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine sign an agreement officially ending the Soviet Union and establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in its place.source
  • 19933 September – The Massandra Accords were signed between Ukraine and the Russian Federation as result of negotiations that took place in the Massandra Palace at Yalta.source
  • 1996March 26 – The International Monetary Fund approves a $10.2 billion loan to Russia for economic reform.source
  • 1996October 4 – In Almaty, Kazakhstan, Russia and four other Central Asian countries adopted a declaration expressing concern regarding the conflict in Afghanistan, assessing it as a direct threat to the Commonwealth of Independent States.source
  • 1996December 3 – Ehsanullah Ehsan, the chairman of the Taliban's Central Bank, declared most Afghani notes in circulation to be worthless and cancelled the contract with the Russian firm that had been printing the currency since 1992. Ehsan accused the firm of sending new shipments of Afghani notes to ousted president Burhanuddin Rabbani in northern Takhar Province.source
  • 1996December 6 – A Russian military airplane transported the body of former Afghan President Babrak Karmal to Mazari Sharif to be buried.source
  • 199728 May – The Partition Treaty on the Status and Conditions of the Black Sea Fleet was signed between Russia and Ukraine.source
  • 2000October 5 – President Slobodan Milošević leaves office after widespread demonstrations throughout Serbia and the withdrawal of Russian support.source

21st century

  • 2001April – Malaysia Airlines becomes the first airline in the world to pilot a twin-engine commercial jet through the newly opened polar routes, passing through the inhospitable regions of Russia and North Alaska.source
  • 2004May 7 – Vladimir Putin is sworn in for a second term as Russia's president.source
  • 2007January 8: Russian oil supplies to Poland, Germany, and Ukraine are cut as the Russia-Belarus energy dispute escalates.source
  • 2007March 15: Russia, Greece and Bulgaria sign a deal to build a pipeline to transport Russian oil to the Greek port of Alexandroupolis.source
  • 2008April - Russia cancels $4.5 billion worth of Libya's foreign debt as part of a larger set of business deals including railways, weaponry, and oil.source
  • 2008August 7 – Georgia intervenes against Russian-backed separatists in its South-Ossetia and Abkhazia regions, causing Russia to invade Georgia and spark the Russo-Georgian war, the first major European land war of the 21st century.source
  • 2009May 12–16 – The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 takes place in Moscow, Russia, and is won by Norwegian entrant Alexander Rybak with the song "Fairytale".source
  • 2009December 5 – Fire at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia kills 156 people. The nightclub owner was sentenced to nearly ten years in prison.source
  • 2010April 10 – The president of Poland, Lech Kaczyński, is among 96 killed when their airplane crashes near Smolensk, Russia.source
  • 20147-23 February - 4 athletes from Armenia competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.source
  • 201425 March – The governor of Gagauzia Mihail Formuzal and the president of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia, Dmitri Constantinov visit Russia with the purpose to meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin and Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev to sign a twinning agreement and trade agreement.source
  • 2014June 17 – North Korean propaganda videos show that they have developed a cruise missile similar to the Russian Kh-35 model.source
  • 2015February 12 – Leaders from Russian Federation, Ukraine, Germany and French Republic reach an agreement on the war in eastern Ukraine that includes a ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weapons. However, several days later, the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian rebels claim that, within its first day, the ceasefire was broken 139 times, as both sides failed to withdraw their heavy weapons and fighting had continued.source
  • 2015November 24 – Turkey shoots down a Russian fighter jet on the Turkish–Syrian border in the first case of a NATO member destroying a Russian aircraft since the 1950s.source
  • 2016Ukraine's central bank more than halved its 2016 growth forecast Thursday as the cash-strapped country battles crises ranging from falling commodity prices to a new trade embargo by Russia. The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) also left its main borrowing rate unchanged at 22 percent in order to keep persistent inflation expectations in check.source
  • 2018June 8–9 – The 44th G7 summit is held in Canada. President Trump pushes for the reinstatement of the G8 (to include Russia). He also proposes the elimination of tariffs.source
  • 2018June 14–July 15 – The 2018 FIFA World Cup is held in Russia and is won by France.source
  • 2019September 7 – Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov and 66 others are released in a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia.source
  • 2019September 16 – A gas explosion in Koltsovo, Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia sets off a fire in a bioweapons plant that houses viruses including smallpox, ebola and anthrax.source
  • 2019October 14 – A New York Times investigation reveals that Russian planes had bombed at least 50 hospitals and clinics in opposition-held Idlib, Syria.source
  • 2019December 9 – The World Anti-Doping Agency votes unanimously to ban Russia from international sport for four years for doping offences, meaning it will be excluded from the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.source
  • 2020December 5 – COVID-19 pandemic: Russia begins mass vaccination against COVID-19 with the Sputnik V candidate.source
  • 2021September 25 – Mali recruits Russia's PMC Wagner Group to fight Islamic terrorism in the country, according to a news outlet citing Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.source
  • 202222 February – Syria voices support for Russia's recognition of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic as independent states.source
  • 202217 March – Panama's maritime authority states that Russia has attacked three Panamanian-flagged civil vessels in the Black Sea since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, causing one of the ships to sink. No deaths have been reported.source
  • 20221 June – Taiwan imposes an export ban of all modern computer chips to Russia and Belarus, as well as any technology and equipment used to manufacture them.source
  • 20226 June – Latvia bans all Russia-based TV media outlets that threaten "the territorial integrity and independence of another country", referring to the Russo-Ukrainian War. The measure will last until Russia de-occupies Crimea and ends its warfare against Ukraine.source
  • 202225 September – Uzbekistan suspends the use of Russia's card payment system Mir. The move was supposedly warranted by the need "to carry out the necessary technical procedures" and was not related to sanctions.source
  • 2022October 8 – 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine: An explosion occurs on the Crimean Bridge connecting Crimea and Russia, killing three and causing a partial collapse of the only road bridge between the Crimean Peninsula and the Russian mainland. Two days later, retaliatory missile strikes are conducted by Russia across Ukraine, the most widespread since the start of the invasion, notably including attacks on Kyiv.source
  • 2022November 11 – 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine: Ukrainian forces recapture Kherson, the only regional capital to be taken by Russia since the start of the war.source
  • 2022December 2 – The G7 and Australia join the EU in imposing a cap of $60 a barrel on Russian crude oil, designed to "prevent Russia from profiting from its war of aggression against Ukraine."source
  • 202310 February – A Russian missile launched as part of an attack against Ukrainian infrastructure crosses the airspace of Moldova.source
  • 2023February 16 – Lawmakers in the Russian State Duma vote to withdraw Russia from 21 conventions of the Council of Europe.source
  • 202325 March: Russian President Vladimir Putin announces that Russia will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus by July. The nuclear missiles will be operated by Russian forces. It will be the first time that Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed abroad since 1996.source
  • 2024August 1 – 2024 American–Russian prisoner exchange: 26 individuals are released from Ankara Esenboğa Airport in the largest prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia since the Cold War.source
  • 2025February 18 – Vladimir Putin announces that Russia and the United States have officially agreed to restore diplomatic relations. A four-hour summit between the US and Russia is held in Saudi Arabia.source
  • 2025September 19 – Estonian airspace near Vaindloo island is violated by three Russian MiG-31 jets. In response, Estonia invokes Article 4 of NATO.source

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