Meet the TU-144, Russia's achievement, albeit short lived, in supersonic flight. On Dec. 31, 1968, Russia's TU-144 supersonic airliner made its first flight, several months ahead of the Anglo-French Concorde.

Find out what this son of peasants turned Premier of the Soviet Union had to do with an upper class writer and his epic novel.

Examination of the history of this Christian tradition, which is in full communion with the Church of Rome.

In the summer of 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France, and his army marched into Moscow. This resulted in one of the turning points in Tsar Alexander I's reign. Napoleon began his retreat from Moscow on November 12, 1812.

Republic of Chechnya and Russia; ancient ethnic conflict in modern times.

A look at the notion of "ethnic" Russians.

Just how important is Russia in the world?

The serf system in early 19th century Russia and writer, Nikolai Gogol.

Dagestan Republic, the war with Chechyna and the battle for ancient Islamic homeland.

Germany's efforts to occupy the Soviet Union during WWII and executions of thousands of Jews on Russian soil.

Historic border accords signed between Russia and China on December 9, 1999.  This one of the last major official acts of then President Boris Yeltsin prior to his surprise resignation on December 31.