1689 Peter the Great comes to power
1762 Catherine II comes to power
1796 Paul I comes to power
1801 Alexander I comes to power
1825 Nicholas I comes to power
1853 Crimean War begins
1855 Alexander II comes to power
1856 Crimean War ends
1861 Emancipation, dumas, Zenstvos
1874 To the people
1881 Alexander II assassinated, succeeded by Alexander III; creation of Okhrans
1894 Nicholas II comes to power
1903 Social Democrats split; depression
1904 Jan Russo-Japanese War begins
1905 Jan 9, Bloody Sunday
Jun Potemkin mutiny
Oct October Manifesto
Dec revolution squashed
1914 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun assassination in Sarajevo
Jul Russia enters Great War
Aug Tannenberg
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1915 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec Nicholas II goes to front
1916 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec Rasputin murdered
1917 Jan
Feb
Mar 8-12, revolution; Tsar Nicholas II abdicates
Apr Lenin arrives in Petrograd; Lvov in power
May
Jun Bolsheviks gain support
Jul Kerenskiis offensive
Aug Bolsheviks control Soviet
Sep Kornilov fails coup
Oct Bolsheviks take power in Petrograd
Nov 7, revolution; constituent assemby elections
Dec creation of Cheka; Lenin in power
1918 Jan Constituent Assembly formed and dissolved
Feb
Mar Brest-Litovsk treaty with Germany
Apr
May civil war begins
Jun first Soviet concentration camps
Jul Allied troops land; failed attempt to remove Lenin; Nicholas II, Romanovs killed
Aug assasination attempt on Lenin; Red Terror begins
Sep Red Army wins Battle of Kazan
Oct
Nov
Dec
1919 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun Treaty of Versailles
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct Zhenotdel formed
Nov
Dec
1920 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr Poland attacks Ukraine
May
Jun Soviets retake Kiev
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct armistice with Poland
Nov Wrangel, Whites defeated in Crimea, ending civil war
Dec
1921 Jan
Feb Kronstadt revolt
Mar Kronstadt crushed; New Economic Policy adopted
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1922 Jan
Feb Cheka becomes GPU
Mar
Apr Stalin becomes general secretary
May Lenin's first stroke
Jun first show trial, of Socialist Revolutionaries
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec Lenin's second stroke; USSR founded
1923 Jan
Feb
Mar Lenin's third stroke
Apr
May
Jun
Jul USSR constitution adopted
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1924 Jan Lenin dies; leadership by triumvirate of Zinoviev, Kamenev, Stalin
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1925 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1926 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul Zinoviev expelled from Politburo
Aug
Sep
Oct new family law code; Trotsky and Kamenev expelled from Politburo
Nov
Dec
1927 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1928 Jan Stalin starts "Urals-Siberian" method
Feb
Mar
Apr
May Shakhty trial begins
Jun
Jul Shakhty trial ends
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1929 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr 16th Party Congress, first Five Year Plan approved
May Kulaks defined
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep border conflict begins with China
Oct Stalin decides to collectivize
Nov Bukharin expelled from Politburo; Stalin annouces collectivization breakthrough
Dec Stalin's 50th birthday; Stalin announces end of NEP and liquidation of kulaks
1930 Jan
Feb deportation of Kulaks; approximate peak of livestock slaughter by peasants
Mar Dizzy with Success
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov trial of Industrial Party begins
Dec trial of Industrial Party ends
1931 Jan
Feb
Mar trial of Menshevik wreckers
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct Stalin's article "Some Questions Concerning History of Bolshevism"
Nov
Dec
1932 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May antireligious five-year plan begins
Jun
Jul
Aug five stalkslaw
Sep
Oct
Nov Stalin's wife commits suicide
Dec internal passports introduced
1933 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr last major wreckers trial
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov diplomatic relations restored with USA
Dec
1934 Jan 17th Party Congress
Feb second Five Year Plan approved
Mar
Apr
May
Jun law on betrayal of fatherland adopted
Jul NKVD replaces OGPU; Yagoda becomes head
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec Kirov assasination
1935 Jan
Feb new collective farm charter, allowing larger private plots
Mar
Apr
May Stalin creates purge committee
Jun
Jul
Aug Stakhanov's coal success, beginning Stakhanovism
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1936 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun abortion outlawed
Jul
Aug first Moscow trial, of Zinoviev, Kamenev, others
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec new USSR (Stalin) constitution
1937 Jan second Moscow trial, of Pyotakov, Radek, others
Feb
Mar
Apr
May execution of several Red Army generals
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep Yagoda removed
Oct
Nov
Dec
1938 Jan
Feb
Mar third Moscow trial, of Bukharin, Rykov, Yagoda, others
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec Beria replaces Ezhov as NKVD head
1939 Jan
Feb
Mar World War II begins--Germany invades Czechoslovakia
Apr
May Molotov replaces Litvinov, foreign affairs
Jun
Jul
Aug Hitler-Stalin nonaggression pact signed between USSR and Germany
Sep Germany and USSR invade Poland
Oct
Nov USSR annexes western Ukraine and western Byelorusia; USSR invades Finland
Dec USSR expelled from League of Nations
1940 Jan
Feb Soviet-German trade agreement
Mar end of Soviet-Finnish war
Apr Katyn massacre
May
Jun
Jul
Aug annexation of Baltic States; Trotsky assassinated in Mexico; Litvinov removed from Central Committee
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1941 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr Germany attacks Yugoslavia
May
Jun German invasion of USSR; fall of Minsk; formation of GKO
Jul
Aug fall of Smolensk
Sep Kiev falls to Germans; German offensive approaches Moscow; Leningrad encircled
Oct closest German advance toward Moscow
Nov Lend-lease to USSR begins
Dec USA enters World War II
1942 Jan Soviet counteroffensive
Feb
Mar
Apr
May German offensive in south; Soviets defeated at Kerch and Kharkov; Soviet atomic bomb project began
Jun German forces break through toward Volga and Caucasus; Stalin orders no retreats
Jul Battle of Stalingrad begins
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec Soviet winter offensive in south
1943 Jan siege of Leningrad partially lifted
Feb Battle of Stalingrad won by USSR
Mar
Apr
May Comintern dissolved
Jun
Jul allies land in Italy; Battle of Kursk begins
Aug Soviets win Battle of Kursk
Sep
Oct
Nov Teheran conference with Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill; Karachais deported
Dec Kalmyks deported
1944 Jan siege of Leningrad ends
Feb Chechens and Ingush deported
Mar Balkars deported
Apr Soviets enter Rumania
May liberation of Crimea; Crimean Tatars deported
Jun D-Day, allied landing in France
Jul Minsk liberated; Soviet troops enter Poland
Aug Soviet troops reach Bucharest
Sep Soviet troops reach Sofia
Oct Churchill and Stalin formulate division of eastern Europe
Nov
Dec
1945 Jan Soviets take Warsaw
Feb Yalta conference
Mar Soviets enter Austria
Apr US/Soviet forces meet; death of Hitler; Truman-Molotov meeting
May Soviets troops take Berlin; Nazis surrenders; end of lend-lease to USSR
Jun
Jul Potsdam conference begins
Aug atomic bombs dropped on Japan; Soviet invasion of Manchuria
Sep Japan surrenders
Oct United Nations founded
Nov
Dec
1946 Jan
Feb Stalin predicts east-west war
Mar Churchill's Iron Curtain speech
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep private farm plots denounced
Oct
Nov
Dec first Soviet nuclear reactor goes critical
1947 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun Marshall Plan formed
Jul
Aug
Sep Cominform founded
Oct
Nov
Dec end of ration cards, reform currency
1948 Jan
Feb Communist coup in Czechoslovakia
Mar
Apr
May
Jun Yugoslavia expelled from Cominform; Berlin blockade begins
Jul
Aug Lysenko prevails in Academy of Agricultural Science session
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1949 Jan Comecon founded; Academy of Sciences declares primacy of Soviet science
Feb
Mar
Apr Nato founded
May Berlin blockade ends
Jun
Jul
Aug first Soviet nuclear test, using copied US Fat Man design
Sep
Oct PR China formed
Nov
Dec
1950 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun Korean War begins
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1951 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep second Soviet nuclear test, first using indigenous design
Oct third Soviet nuclear test
Nov first operational nuclear weapon
Dec
1952 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct 19th Party Congress; first British nuclear test; first US H-bomb test
Nov
Dec
1953 Jan Doctor's Plot unveiled
Feb
Mar Stalin dies
Apr
May
Jun
Jul Beria arrested, executed; armistice signed in Korea
Aug first boosted fission test
Sep Khruschev elected first secretary
Oct
Nov
Dec
1954 Jan
Feb
Mar Virgin Lands campaign
Apr prison uprising at Kengir
May
Jun first nuclear power station operational
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1955 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May Warsaw Pact signed
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov first thermonuclear bomb test
Dec
1956 Jan
Feb 20th Party Congress: 6th 5 year plan, Khruschev's secret speech on Stalin's crimes
Mar
Apr
May
Jun uprising in Poland
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct revolution in Hungary, crushed by Soviet troops
Nov
Dec
1957 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May attempt to remove Khruschev
Jun central committee reverses Khruschev removal
Jul Khruschev's opponents removed
Aug
Sep
Oct Sputnik 1 launched; Zhukov retired
Nov
Dec
1958 Jan
Feb antireligious campaign
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct Pasternak receives Nobel, is persecuted
Nov
Dec
1959 Jan
Feb first SLBM operational
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec first ICBM operational
1960 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct first SSBN operational
Nov
Dec
1961 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr Gagarin orbits Earth
May
Jun
Jul Khruschev, Kennedy meet on German issue in Vienna
Aug Berlin Wall built
Sep
Oct 58 mt H-bomb test; 22nd Party Congress, Stalin's body removed from Mausoleum
Nov
Dec
1962 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun Novosherkagsk workers shot by troops
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct Cuban missile crisis
Nov publication in USSR of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denesovich; end Cuban missile crisis
Dec end atmospheric nuclear testing
1963 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug limited nuclear test ban treaty signed
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1964 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct removal of Khruschev, replaced by Brezhnev
Nov
Dec
1965 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep Sinjavsky and Daniel arrested
Oct
Nov
Dec
1966 Jan
Feb
Mar 23rd Party Congress
Apr 23rd Party Congress
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1967 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr Soyuz 1 crashes, killing Komarov
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1968 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun publication of Sakharov's Progress, Coexistence, and Intellectual Freedom
Jul
Aug Soviet troops end Prague Spring
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1969 Jan
Feb
Mar border skirmishes with China
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1970 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct Solzhenitsyn awarded Nobel
Nov
Dec
1971 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr Salyut 1 manned, first space station
May
Jun Soyuz 11 accident kills Dobrovolskiy, Volkov, and Patsayev
Jul
Aug
Sep Khruschev dies
Oct
Nov
Dec
1972 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May Nixon visits Moscow, SALT I signed
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1973 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1974 Jan
Feb Solzhenitsyn arrested and expelled
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec first MIRVed missile operational
1975 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul Apollo-Soyuz mission
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec Sakharov awarded Nobel Peace Prize
1976 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1977 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct new Soviet constitution
Nov
Dec
1978 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1979 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec invasion of Afghanistan
1980 Jan Sakharov exiled to Gorky
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug Polish strikes, formation of Solidarity
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1981 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec martial law declared by General Jaruselski in Poland
1982 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov death of Brezhnev, replaced by Andropov
Dec
1983 Jan
Feb
Mar Reagan announces SDI
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep KAL 007 shot down
Oct
Nov first Typhoon SSBN operational
Dec
1984 Jan
Feb death of Andropov, Chernenko appointed
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1985 Jan
Feb
Mar death of Chernenko, replaced by Gorbachev
Apr
May beginning of anti-alcohol campaign
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov Geneva summit
Dec
1986 Jan
Feb
Mar Yelstin placed on Politburo
Apr Chernobyl nuclear accident
May Chernobyl fires extinguished
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct Rekjavik summit
Nov
Dec
1987 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May Rust flight to Red Square
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec INF treaty signed; Chernobyl station officers tried; Mir space station first manned
1988 Jan
Feb Yelstin removed from Politburo; Andreeva attacks Gorbachev's reforms
Mar
Apr
May
Jun history exams disrupted
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1989 Jan
Feb Soviet troops leave Afghanistan
Mar semi-free elections take place
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug Poland forms coalition government
Sep last nuclear warheads removed from Hungary
Oct Honecker outed in East Germany
Nov Berlin Wall comes down
Dec Romanian revolution
1990 Jan
Feb last nuclear warheads removed from Poland
Mar Lithuania declares independence; elections to republic levels; Yelstin, Sakarov elected to parliament
Apr
May Latvia declares independence; Bush-Gorbachev summit; Yelstin elected leader of Russia
Jun Yelstin resigns party
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct last admitted nuclear test; reunification of Germany
Nov CFE treaty signed
Dec Shevardnadze resigns
1991 Jan Soviet troops kill 15 Lithuanian protestors; Gulf War begins
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul START signed
Aug attempted coup fails; last nuclear warheads removed from Germany
Sep Baltic states' independence recognized by US
Oct
Nov
Dec USSR dissolved; Gorbachev resigns
1992 Jan most state economic subsidies end; Shevardnadze becomes leader of Georgia
Feb reports of sale of Soviet nuclear warheads to Iran
Mar fighting in Dnestr region, Moldova
Apr
May communist leader of Azerbaijan ousted
Jun Yelstin, Bush agree on START II; coup in Georgia crushed
Jul
Aug coup in Tajikistan
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec Yelstin wins showdown with Congree of People's Deputies
1993 Jan communist regime installed in Tajikistan
Feb
Mar
Apr first meeting between Yelstin and Clinton
May
Jun leader of Azerbaijan ousted
Jul
Aug Russian troops leave Lithuania
Sep Yelstin dissolves parliament
Oct troops retake Parliament building from Yelstin opponents, killing 140
Nov
Dec new constitution approved
1994 Jan
Feb Kazakhstan agrees to denuclearize; Georgia and Russia agree on cooperation
Mar
Apr
May agreement to end fighting in Georgia; ceasefire in Armenia
Jun
Jul
Aug Russian troops leave Latvia and Estonia
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec troops sent to Chechnya
1995 Jan
Feb troops take Grozny, Chechnya
Mar
Apr
May
Jun first US space shuttle docking with Mir space station
Jul
Aug assasination attempt injures Shevardnadze
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec parliamentary elections, gains by communist party
1996 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr pact signed linking Russia and Belarus
May last nuclear warheads removed from Kazakhstan
Jun Yelstin reelected president; last nuclear warheads removed from Ukraine; Chechen terrorists seize hostages in Budennovsk, 143 killed
Jul
Aug rebels retake Grozny, Chechnya; Lebed signs peace accord with Chechen rebels
Sep
Oct Yelstin fires Lebed
Nov last nuclear warheads removed from Belarus
Dec
1997 Jan last Russian troops leave Chechnya
Feb
Mar Yelstin, Clinton discuss START III in Helsinki
Apr joint Russian-PRC statement on strategic cooperation
May Russia agrees to NATO expansion; Russia and Ukraine resolve Black Sea fleet dispute
Jun Russia participates in Group of Seven meetings; Mir space station damaged by collision
Jul
Aug suspected nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1998 Jan
Feb
Mar Chernomyrdin fired as Prime Minister
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug 17, Russian economic collapse; Yelstin names new prime minister
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1999 Jan
Feb
Mar economic free-fall stops
Apr NATO military actions in Kosovo draw Russian criticism
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep four apartment bombings in Moscow, Volgodonsk, 291 killed; troops sent to Chechnya
Oct
Nov
Dec
2000 Jan Yelstin resigns, Putin becomes president
Feb
Mar Putin elected president
Apr
May
Jun new Foreign Policy Concept approved
Jul
Aug flat tax approved; submarine Kursk sinks
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec Soviet anthem reintroduced
2001 Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep 9/11 attacks in US
Oct
Nov
Dec
2002 Jan last independent TV station briefly closed
Feb
Mar bombing at parade in Kaspiysk, 43 killed
Apr
May Russia-US strategic arms agreement, NATO-Russia council
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct Chechen terrorists seize theater in Moscow, 170 killed
Nov
Dec two car bombings in Chechnya, 71 killed
2003 Jan
Feb
Mar Chechen referendum rejects separatist movement
Apr
May bombing attacks on Chechen government
Jun last independent TV channel closed
Jul
Aug suicide bombing in Mozdok, 50 killed
Sep
Oct border dispute with Ukraine
Nov
Dec
2004 Jan
Feb Putin dismisses prime minister, cabinet; Moscow subway bombing kills 40
Mar Putin reelected president, Fradkov becomes prime minister
Apr
May Chechen leader Kadyrov assassinated
Jun
Jul
Aug two planes destroyed by terrorist bombs, 89 killed
Sep Chechen terrorists seize school in Beslan, 366 killed
Oct
Nov
Dec
2005 Jan
Feb Russia agreed to supply nuclear fuel to Iran
Mar Maskhadov killed in counterterror operation
Apr
May Khodorkovsky sentenced
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2006 Jan Putin authorized monitoring of non-governmental organizations
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul Basayev killed by Russian security
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov Litvinenko assasinated in London
Dec
2007 Jan Russia cuts oil pipeline shipments to Europe
Feb
Mar anti-Putin protests in St. Petersburg
Apr Yelstin died
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec United Russia party won parliament elections
2008 Jan
Feb
Mar Medvedev elected president
Apr
May Medvedev became president with Putin as prime minister
Jun
Jul UK blamed Russian government for Litvinenko assasination
Aug Russia invades Georgia
Sep
Oct
Nov Medvedev announced plans for SRBMs in Kalingrad
Dec
© 1988-2006, 2008 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 8 December 2008.
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