Russia, officially the Russian Federation, is a country in Eurasia. At 17,125,200 square kilometres (6,612,100 sq mi), Russia is the largest country in the world by area, covering more than one-eighth of the Earth’s inhabited land area. Russia extends across eleven time zones and comprises eighty-three federal subjects. It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait. The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD. Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants, they constituted the state of Kievan Rus’, which flourished during the 9th to 13th centuries but was eventually disintegrated into a number of smaller states due to Mongol invasions and internal fighting among members of the ruling Ruthenian boyar class.
The grand duchy of Moscow gradually reunified these lands during the 15th century, becoming Tsardom of Russia in 1547 and expanding to its current territory following victory over rival khanates in Astrakhan (1556), Kazan (1552) and Siberia (1581). In 1917, after two revolutions that toppled tsarism resulted in an interim Provisional Government headed by Alexander Kerensky that continued fighting on behalf of several White armies against both Bolsheviks/Communists led by Vladimir Lenin and various Menshevik factions loyal to Nikolai Avksentiev until Soviet forces prevailed in 1923–1924; this period saw widespread social upheaval including mass political murders such as those carried out by White Guardist troops during “Red Terror” campaigns launched against real or suspected Communist sympathizers as well as attacks on military units loyal to Soviet power known as “Green Army” mutinies which contributed significantly to army desertion rates especially during 1919–1920 civil war battles; many peasant uprisings also took place such as Kronstadt Rebellion led by sailor Maximovich Petrichenko that demanded better living conditions while denouncing Bolshevik regime’s policies before being crushed militarily..
In 1991 following collapse of Communism throughout Eastern Bloc resulting from pressure exerted by United States through NATO alliance along with economic hardship caused by failed centrally planned economy leading to shortages of basic necessities such increased levels poverty; all these factors created volatile environment which Mikhail Gorbachev was unable resolve thus resulting his resignation December 25, 1991 therefore opening way for Boris Yeltsin who became first President Russian Federation since tsarist times though his term office marked further decline Russian economy amidst rising crime rates culminating August 21–22 1993 confrontation between pro-Yeltsin supporters known popularly “White House” Russians versus anti-Yelstin protesters belonging largely former Communist Party nomenklatura so-called “red directors” trade union activists another disgruntled groups including military officers because Yeltsin ordered dissolution parliament thereby provoking Constitutional Crisis 1993 followed October 3–4 Black Wednesday events when ruble collapsed losing 60% its value dollar overnight effectively ending idea monetary reform; instead government resorted issuing IOUs called GKO short-term treasury bills linked salaries pensions welfare payments etcetera order maintain some level social stability within country..