russia

Ivan the III (the Great)

The first Russian czar who ended the Golden Horde and began expanding Russia's borders from Moscow.

Ivan IV

Also known as Ivan the Terrible, this Russian czar greatly expanded the territory and is known for his violent reign and use of the secret police.

Peter the Great

Ruler who westernized and modernized Russia, creating a Russian navy and reforming military and cultural practices.

Catherine II

Also known as Catherine the Great, she was an enlightened despot who allowed some enlightenment ideas to enter Russian society.

Russo-Japanese War

A conflict in 1905 where Japan shockingly defeated Russia, highlighting Russia's backwardness.

Bloody Sunday 1905

A protest where Russians demanded reforms after the loss to Japan; the czar's military responded with violence.

Holodomor

A man-made famine in Soviet Ukraine that killed millions of people, largely a result of Stalin's policies.

Operation Barbarossa

The surprise attack by Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union in June 1941.

Iron Curtain

The imaginary border dividing Eastern and Western Europe during the Cold War.

Glasnost

A policy of openness and freedom of speech initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s.

Perestroika

A policy of economic restructuring and introduction of capitalism initiated by Gorbachev.

Boris Yeltsin

The leader of Russia after the dissolution of the Soviet Union who attempted to implement democracy.

Vladimir Putin

The current leader of Russia who has been in power since 1999, exhibiting a style of governance reminiscent of the Soviet era.