History of post-Soviet Russia facts for kids
After the Soviet Union ended, Russia changed a lot. It became the Russian Federation. Many people see the Russian Federation as the next step after the Soviet Union. However, Russia after the Soviet Union was not as strong. It did not have the same military or political power as the old USSR.
With communism gone, Russia could now choose its own leader. In June 1991, Boris Yeltsin was elected. He became Russia's first president.
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Economic Changes in Russia
President Boris Yeltsin promised to make Russia's economy better. One way he tried to help was by improving trade with other countries. But not all his ideas worked out well.
When Yeltsin removed rules on prices, things suddenly became very expensive. This is called hyperinflation. Also, the military was hit hard when the Soviet Union fell. Many factories that made military goods had to let workers go. This was because the government stopped ordering new things. This led to many people losing their jobs.
In August 1998, the Russian government faced a big problem. They said they could not pay back their debts. This was called the 1998 Russian financial crisis. It happened partly because of the Asian financial crisis and a war in Chechnya. Many banks had to close. The government even stopped paying wages and pensions. Sometimes, workers were paid with goods instead of money.
Despite these tough times, Russia recovered quickly from the 1998 crash. This was mainly because the price of oil went up. When oil prices rose, Russia earned a lot more money from selling its oil to other countries. This helped the economy grow stronger.
Russia's Relationships with Other Countries
Unlike during the Cold War, Russia now saw Western countries as friends. In June 1998, Russia joined NATO peace-keeping forces. This showed a new spirit of cooperation.
The Russians also started building stronger ties with China. In 1997, Russia signed an important agreement with its neighbor, Belarus. These actions helped Russia connect more with the world.
Russia Today: The Putin Era
Russia has continued to change in the 21st century. In the year 2000, Vladimir Putin became the President of Russia. During his time as president, his popularity went up and down.
Between 2001 and 2002, Putin took control of several TV stations. Similar issues also happened with print newspapers and magazines. However, Putin has also done good things for Russia. During his presidency, Russia's economy grew a lot. The country's average income increased each year. The government also managed to pay off a large part of its debt.
Images for kids
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Russia's GDP by purchasing power parity (PPP) in 1991-2019 (in international dollars)
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Russian male life expectancy from 1980 to 2007
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A street flea market in Rostov-on-Don, 1992
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An abandoned radiotelescope facility near Nizhny Novgorod (2006; by 2008 the telescopes had been removed)
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Russians protest the economic depression caused by the reforms with the banner saying: "Jail the redhead!", 1998.
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Burned facade of the White House after the storming
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Vladimir Putin (2007 or earlier)
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Vladimir Putin with Junichiro Koizumi, Jacques Chirac, Gerhard Schröder, Silvio Berlusconi, George W. Bush and other state leaders in Moscow, 9 May 2005
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Putin with Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel in March 2008
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Putin with Dmitry Medvedev, March 2008
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A destroyed Georgian tank in Tskhinvali, August 2008
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"Northern Valley" housing estate under construction in Saint Petersburg, 2010
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Anti-Putin protesters march in Moscow, 4 February 2012
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From left to right, Sergey Aksyonov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Vladimir Putin and Aleksei Chalyi sign the Treaty on Accession of the Republic of Crimea to Russia
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See also
In Spanish: Historia de la Federación de Rusia para niños
