Georgy Zhukov, Soviet Union Marshal, four times Hero of the Soviet Union, is born.(1896)

Alexander I, Russian Emperor, dies.(1825)

Peter Inokhodtsev, astronomer, is born.(1742)

The Soviet Navy commissions a new Project 613 Submarine.(1951)

Yekaterina Trubetskaya, one of the Decebmrists’ wives, is born.(1800)

Lazar Lagin, writer, is born.(1903)

Armistice between Russia and Germany is signed in Brest-Litovsk.(1917)

The day of Russian Military Glory(1941)

The first nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world, named Lenin, is launched in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg).(1959)

Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, the largest Orthodox church in the world, is taken down.(1931)

Napoleon leaves his army in Russia and flees to Paris.(1812)

The Tartar-Mongol Army occupies Kiev.(1240)

As a result of a Palace Revolution Peter the Great's illegitimate daughter Elizabeth becomes Russia’s new Empress.(1741)

The Order of the Great Martyr St. George the Victorious is established – the highest military award in Russia.(1769)

Vladimir Gilyarovsky, writer, journalist, is born.(1853)

Anatoly Durov, founder of a famous circus house, is born.(1864)

Klara Rumyanova, an actress, is born.(1929)

Andrey Chokhov, smelter, dies.(1629)

The Belovezhskaya Pushcha Pact terminating the USSR is signed by Boris Yeltsin, Leonid Kravchuk and Stanislau Shushkevich.(1991)

Pyotr Kropotkin, prince, anarchist, scholar, is born.(1842)

Darya Saltykova, also know as Saltychikha, a land-lady, is born.(1801)

The premiere of Mikhail Glinka’s “Life for the Tzar” (“Ivan Susanin”), the first Russian classical national opera.(1836)

Alexander Sumarokov, actor, is born.(1717)

Alexander Dovzhenko, film director, is born.(1956)

Ivan Bunin receives the Nobel Prize in Literature.(1933)

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, writer, is born.(1918)

Nikolay Ozerov, sports commentator, is born.(1922)

Andrey Makarevich, musician, is born.(1953)

Nikolay Karamzin, writer, historian, is born.(1766)

Vladimir Shainsky, composer, is born.(1925)

Vitaly Solomin, actor, is born.(1941)

Defeat of Bolotnikov’s Army at the battle of Moscow.(1606)

The first elections into the Federal Assembly, the new Russian Parliament, take place.(1993)

Valery Bryusov, poet, is born.(1873)

Evgeny Petrov, writer, is born.(1903)

The first mail boxes are installed in St. Petersburg, the capital of Russia.(1848)

Ivan Fyodorov, the first Russian printer, dies.(1583)

Nikolay Nikitin, designer, architect, is born.(1907)

A spacecraft lands on another planet for the first time in human history.(1970)

Grigory Rasputin dies.(1916)

Vasily Kandinsky, abstract painter, is born.(1866)

Anton Denikin, lieutenant-general, monarchist, is born.(1872)

The Moscow Gypsy Theatre Romen is created.(1931)

Leonid Bronevoy, actor, national artist of the USSR, is born.(1928)

New type of Armed Forces is built in the USSR – Strategic Missile Troops .(1959)

One of the oldest Moscow monasteries, Chudov Monastery, is blown up.(1929)

Nikolay Lossky, philosopher, is born.(1870)

Yury Nikulin, actor, clown, is born.(1921)

Joseph Stalin (Dzhugashvili), Soviet leader, is born.(1878)

The first Russian political demonstration is held.(1876)

Leonid Brezhnev, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the USSR, is born.(1906)

The Bolshevik Central Committee adopts a resolution, which restricts the press to criticize the work of the Extraordinary Commit(1918)

The Soviet government passed a resolution creating the All-Russian Special Commission for Fighting Counterrevolution and Sabotag(1917)

The Moscow Hotel is opened.(1935)

Work-books are introduced in the USSR to keep the record of one’s working experience.(1938)

Peter the Great issues an edict “On celebrating the New Year”.(1699)

The official view of Sergey Eysenshtein’s film The Battleship Potyomkin in the building of Bolshoy Theatre in Moscow.(1925)

Eduard Uspensky, writer, is born.(1937)

Alexander Suvorov captures the Turkish unassailable fortress Ismail.(1790)

The first Russian postage stamp is issued.(1857)

The Soviet Government introduces obligatory football training in the Red Army.(1923)

Alexander I, Russian Emperor, is born.(1777)

Karl Bryullov, painter, is born.(1799)

Lavrenty Beria, Marshal of the Soviet Union, dies.(1953)

The Soviet Government declares January 1 to be a holiday and a day off.(1947)

The biggest shop in the USSR – GUM in Moscow – opens on this day.(1953)

The European Union accepts Russia as assignee of the USSR.(1991)

Leonid Filatov, actor, poet, playwright, film director, TV show host, is born.(1946)

The Soviet Army enteres Afghanistan.(1979)

For the last time the President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, addresses the nation.(1991)

The Decembrist Revolt takes place in the Senate Square in St. Petersburg.(1825)

Council of People’s Commissars (Sovnarkom) issues a decree ordering the elimination of illiteracy in the Soviet Russia.(1919)

The President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin ratifies constitutional laws concerning the state emblem, flag, and anthe(2000)

Pavel Tretyakov, the founder of the famous Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, is born.(1832)

Sergey Bodrov Jr., actor, film director, is born.(1971)

Passport system is introduced in the USSR.(1932)

Sergey Esenin, poet, is born.(1925)

The GULAG Archipelago by Alexander Solzhenitsyn is published in Paris.(1973)

Elizabeth I, Russian Empress, Peter the Great’s daughter, is born.(1709)

Vasily I, Great Prince of Moscow and Vladimir, is born.(1371)

Daniil Harms, writer, is born.(1905)

The First Soviet All-Union Conference adopts the Declaration of the formation of the USSR.(1922)

Boris Yeltsin addresses the nation on the New Year’s Eve, he tells that he resigns from the post of the President of Russia.(1999)

Opens the first long-distance telephone line connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg.(1898)