The Morning a Meteor Exploded Over Chelyabinsk
On February 15, 2013, a house-sized asteroid exploded over a Russian city with 30 times the force of Hiroshima -- and nobody saw it coming.
Tagged: russia
April 24, 1877: The Tsar Declares War on the Ottoman Empire
On April 24, 1877, Tsar Alexander II declared war on the Ottoman Empire, launching a ten-month conflict that restored Bulgaria and won independence for Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro.
Cannons and Chimes: The 1812 Overture's Debut
On August 20, 1882, Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture premiered under a tent in Moscow — with real cannons, church bells, and a composer who called it loud and noisy.
The Cold War Argument That Started in a Kitchen
On July 24, 1959, Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev squared off in a model kitchen in Moscow — and their impromptu 'Kitchen Debate' aired in both nations.
The Day the Golden Arches Rose Over Moscow
On January 31, 1990, the first McDonald's in the Soviet Union opened on Moscow's Pushkin Square — and some 30,000 Muscovites lined up for a taste of the West.
Boris Yeltsin Sworn In as Russia's First Elected President
On July 10, 1991, Boris Yeltsin took the oath in the Kremlin Palace — the first presidential inauguration in Russia's history.
Four Republics Walk Into a Theater — a Superpower Walks Out
On December 30, 1922, delegates at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre proclaimed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, redrawing the map of the 20th century.
The Empty Prize
On September 14, 1812, Napoleon entered Moscow expecting triumph — and found a deserted city already going up in flames.
The Liberator Tsar: Alexander II's Assassination, March 13, 1881
On March 13, 1881, Tsar Alexander II — the emperor who freed Russia's serfs — was killed by a terrorist's bomb in St. Petersburg, and his reforms died with him.
The Fortress Surrenders: Port Arthur Falls
On January 2, 1905, after a brutal five-month siege, Russia's mighty fortress of Port Arthur gave up to Japan — a defeat that stunned the world and announced Japan as a great power.
The Ballet That Flopped: Swan Lake's Rough First Night
On March 4, 1877, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake premiered in Moscow to a shrug — the composer died never knowing it would become the most famous ballet on Earth.
The Night the Winter Palace Fell — and Barely Fought Back
On November 7, 1917 (October 25 in Russia's old calendar), the Bolsheviks seized the Winter Palace in an almost bloodless coup that reshaped the 20th century.
Dennis Tito: The World's First Space Tourist
On April 28, 2001, California businessman Dennis Tito launched aboard a Russian Soyuz to the International Space Station, becoming history's first space tourist.
The Treaty That Ended a War Halfway Around the World
On September 5, 1905, Japan and Russia signed the Treaty of Portsmouth at a U.S. navy yard in New Hampshire, ending a brutal war — and earning President Theodore Roosevelt the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Three-Day Coup That Ended an Empire
On August 19, 1991, hardliners tried to seize the Soviet Union — and instead destroyed it in three days.