The origins of Slavs can be traced back to the 1st and 2nd Century
They were ino-european and lived around present day Poland and Ukraine
At the start of the 3rd century they began to migrate due to pressure from other clans such as the Goths and the Huns
They were split into three groups; the West Slavs (Poles, Czechs, and Slovaks), the South Slavs (Serbs, Croats, and Bulgarians), and the East Slavs (Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians).
Expansion of these tribes led to interaction with the Roman Empire; shaping Slav culture
By the 5th and 6th centuries, the East Slavs had begun to settle in the forested regions of Eastern Europe. These communities were organised into clans and tribes+
Larger clans began to form, absorbing smaller tribes. These included Polans, Drevlians, and Novgorodians
Interactions between Slavs and the Norse increased in the 8th and 9th centuries. Not only did they continue to trade, but the Norse began to settle with tthe Slavs. Often leading communities.

In 862, the Varangian chieftain Rurik established himself in Novgorod. Marking the beginning of the Rurikid dynasty
Rurik’s successors travelled South and established the Kievan Rus’ state in Kiev around 882
Vladimir I (The Great) came to power over the Kievan Tus’ in 980, converting to Christianity in 988. Leading to the Chrisianisation of the dynasty
In 1054, after the death of ruler Yaroslav the Wise, the Kievan Rus’ was divided amongst his sons. Leading to fragmantation and unrest in the community
The city of Kiev was sacked by Andrei Bogolyubsky, prince of Vladimir-Suzdal in 1169

In 1240 Mongol forces led by Batu Khan sack Kiev again. Establishing Mongol rule over Rus’ territories
Subject to Mongol rule, Rus’ fell prey to repeat Mongol invasions
Daniil Aleksandrovich founded Moscow as a central hub of resistance against the Mongols in 1263
Ivan (The Great) III makes a stand against the Mongols at Ugra River in 1480 and drives them out, unifing the Russian State and removing Mongol rule

1547 Ivan the Terrible crowned the first Tsar of Russia. He grew the territory and centralised power. Commiting attrocities along the way.
From the time of Ivans death, until the crowning of the next Tsar (Michael Romanov) 1584-1598 there was political unrest and invasions from foreign powers
Peter I (The Great) westernised Russia under his rule
Peter I declared Russia an Empire in 1721

Russia was westernised and increased it’s terratories
The Empire helped defeat Napoleon in the Napoleonic wars
The Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 saw the removal of Nicholas III

Established in 1922 after WWI, the Soviet Union was a communist government that won WWII with the allies in 1945 and participated in The Cold War. It dissolved in 1991 after years of unrest and was split into several parts, including Russia

after the Soviet collapse, Boris Yeltsin led Russia through economic turmoil, political instability, and the Chechen wars until resigning in 1999

Vladimir Putin rose to power in 2000, strengthening state control, reviving the economy, and pursuing assertive foreign policies.