Ealy settlers in Russia were Slavic tribes and Scythians. These were followed by Varangians (Vikings) in the eighth and nineth centuries.

Novograd was founded in 862 by Rurik, a Viking. The House of Rurik ruled until Russia was taken over by the Mongolian Tartars. In 1237 Batu Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, invaded Russia. The Tartars held Russia until relinquishing control in 1480.

The sixteenth century saw the reign of Ivan the Terrible. He expanded Russian borders into Poland and Sweden. In 1613 the first Romanov took the throne starting a dynasty which lasted until 1917.

The reign of Peter the Great began in 1682 and saw wide-reaching reforms in the Church and in the administration of the country. A regular army and navy was created and Russia prospered.

Catherine the Great became Empress in 1762 after the death of her husband, Peter III. Under Catherine's rule the arts flourished and St Petersbugh became a cultural centre.

The sparks of the Russian Revolution were ignited in St. Petersburg. The first general strikes started in 1749. Unrest continued and after Napoleon was defeated in 1812 secret societies campaigning for the abolition of serfdom (landowners' control over peasants) grew throughout Russia.

Russia fought against Turkey in the the Crimea War (1853-1856) and was later defeated in the Russo-Sino war causing further unrest amongst the population. This resulted in the slaughter of protestors in Palace Square, which became known as Bloody Sunday. Mass strikes, mutinies and the murder of landowners followed. In 1905 a general strike brought the country to its knees.

The Russian participation in WW1 left two million dead and huge land losses caused a further rise in dissatisfaction. Eventually both soldiers and the police mutinied, and the Tsar was forced to abdicate.

The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin seized power. They would later be known as the Communist Party. Under their control, land was redistributed to the workers, and an armistice was signed with Germany. Lenin introduced the secret police and the Red army and moved the capital from Petrograd to Moscow.

Civil War broke out lasting for three years. This was an economic disaster, and resulted in a famine in 1921 which claimed nearly five million lives.

Lenin died in 1924 and was succeeded by Stalin who set up farming collectives. Stalin executed many people who opposed his regime. During WW2 twenty-eight million Russians died, a sixth of the population.

When Khruschev became the Russian leader the Cold War took hold of East West relations: the situation escalated when Russia armed Cuba. In October 1962 America insisted that the Russian missiles, stationed in Cuba, should be withdrawn and the island was blockaded. The Cuban Missile Crisis, as it became known, brought the world close to nuclear war.

Other leaders followed Khruschev and the Cold War continued until Gorbachov came to power in 1985 introducing extensive political and economic reforms (Perestroika) and calling for a greater openness (Glasnost) between nations. Gorbachov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.

However, the break-up of the Soviet Republics followed in 1991 dividing the USSR into fifteen independent republics. Boris Yeltsin became the president of an independent Russia.

Yeltsin left office because of ill-health and Vladimir Putin became President.