Reform of Government
1st advertisement in a Soviet newspaper appears in Izvestiya
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1988 in Russia
Explore 65 historical events and records for Russia in 1988.
Historical records for Russia in 1988
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 65 unique records.
65Unique records
1 of 2Page
25Named events on this page
10Named people on this page
8Places on this page
January
February
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitated by the USSR Supreme Soviet
Removed from Politburo Candidate Membership
Is removed from candidate membership of the CPSU Politburo.
Rule of Nagorny
The Nagorny-Karabakh Soviet votes for a transfer to Armenia
Solar Array Replacement EVA
Performs a spacewalk with Musa Manarov to replace part of a solar array and increase Mir's electrical power output.
Demonstrations
About a million Armenians demonstrate for Armenian reunification
March
Massacre
Takes place in Azerbaijan after a conflict with Muslim Azerbaijanis
Massacre
Takes place in Azerbaijan after a conflict with Muslim Azerbaijanis
Demonstrations
Crowds of Azeris rampage through the city of Sumgait, at least 32 Armenians are killed
April
Invasion of Afghanistan
Announces Russias withdrawal from Afghanistan
Legasov Death
Dies two years and one day after the Chernobyl accident, after continuing to document lessons from the disaster.
May
Conference of Moscow
The 4th meeting between Reagan & Gorbachev. INF Treaty ratification documents are exchanged between Russia & the USA
Economy of Russia
For the first time since Vladimir Lenins New Economic Policy, the law permits private ownership of businesses in the services, manufacturing, and foreign-trade sectors. Allows foreigners to invest in the Soviet Union in the form of joint ventures with Soviet ministries, state enterprises, and cooperatives
Perestroika
For the first time since Vladimir Lenins New Economic Policy, the law permits private ownership of businesses in the services, manufacturing, and foreign-trade sectors. Allows foreigners to invest in the Soviet Union in the form of joint ventures with Soviet ministries, state enterprises, and cooperatives
June
Conference of Communist Party
Addresses a special Communist Party conference & outlines "a new image of socialism"
Election
Calls for multi-candidate elections for regional and local legislatures and party first secretaries and insisted on the separation of the Government apparatus from party bodies at the regional level, as well
Perestroika
Addresses a special Communist Party conference & outlines "a new image of socialism".
Perestroika
At the CPSUs Nineteenth Party Conference, the first held since 1941, Gorbachev and his supporters launched radical reforms meant to reduce party control of the Government apparatus.
Perestroika
Calls for multi-candidate elections for regional and local legislatures and party first secretaries and insisted on the separation of the Government apparatus from party bodies at the regional level, as well.
Reform of Government
Addresses a special Communist Party conference & outlines "a new image of socialism"
Nineteenth Party Conference Rehabilitation Appeal
Appeals publicly for political rehabilitation at the Nineteenth Party Conference but receives little support from the party leadership.
August
Long-Duration Medical Residency Begins
Arrives aboard Mir to begin an extended medical research mission studying the physiological effects of long-duration spaceflight.
Deputy Minister
Appointed Deputy Minister of the Interior in Azerbaijan
Minister of Internal Affairs
Appointed Minister of Internal Affairs in Russia by Boris Yeltsin
September
Retirement
Retires as President of the USSR
Perestroika
Andrey Gromyko retired from the Politburo, Yegor Ligachev was relieved of the ideology portfolio within the Politburos Secretariat, and Boris Pugo replaced Politburo member Mikhail Solomentsev as chairman of the powerful CPSU Party Control Committee
Perestroika
At an unprecedented emergency Central Committee plenum called by Gorbachev in September 1988, three stalwart old-guard members left the Politburo or lost positions of power
Perestroika
Andrey Gromyko retired from the Politburo, Yegor Ligachev was relieved of the ideology portfolio within the Politburos Secretariat, and Boris Pugo replaced Politburo member Mikhail Solomentsev as chairman of the powerful CPSU Party Control Committee
October
Constitution of Russia
Glasnost leads to the USSR Supreme Soviet dissenting with the Politburo & Central Comm
November
Automatic Spaceplane Landing
The achievement marks automatic spaceplane landing as an important Russian scientific milestone.
Buran Orbital Flight
Leads the Energia-Buran programme during its only orbital flight.
Congress of Peoples Deputies
The Supreme Soviet agrees to the foundation of the Congress of Peoples Deputies
Constitution of Russia
The Supreme Soviet agrees to the foundation of the Congress of Peoples Deputies. The Supreme Soviet abolishes itself. The Congress of Peoples Deputies will have 2,250 members. The Congress of Peoples Deputies will elect the Supreme Soviet. The Congress of Peoples Deputies will be elected except for 750 nominated by the CPSU
Constitution of Russia
The Congress of Peoples Deputies will elect the Supreme Soviet
Election
The Congress of Peoples Deputies will elect the Supreme Soviet
Supreme Soviet
The Supreme Soviet abolishes itself
Supreme Soviet
The Congress of Peoples Deputies will elect the Supreme Soviet
December
One-Year Mir Mission Completed
Returns to Earth with Musa Manarov after approximately one year aboard Mir, setting a new endurance benchmark for human spaceflight.
Constitution of Russia
The Supreme Soviet dissolves itself. The Supreme Soviet approved formation of a Congress of Peoples Deputies, which constitutional amendments had established as the Soviet Unions new legislative body
Perestroika
The Supreme Soviet dissolves itself. The Supreme Soviet approved formation of a Congress of Peoples Deputies, which constitutional amendments had established as the Soviet Unions new legislative body
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.