Summit
Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev makes a personal appeal for Western aid at the conclusion of the Group of Seven economic summit in London
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1991 in Russia — Page 2
Explore 161 historical events and records for Russia in 1991.
Historical records for Russia in 1991
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 161 unique records.
161Unique records
2 of 5Page
22Named events on this page
8Named people on this page
7Places on this page
July
Ban on Party Activity in State Institutions
Signs a decree prohibiting political party organizations from operating inside Russian state institutions and enterprises.
Reform of Civil Liberties
The draft of a new platform for the Soviet Communist Party is published, calling for private property, economic integration into world market and freedom of religion
Economy of Russia
Gorbachev urges Communist leaders at a Central Committee meeting to reject "outdated ideological dogmas" and embrace a market economy
Reform of Government
Gorbachev urges Communist leaders at a Central Committee meeting to reject "outdated ideological dogmas" and embrace a market economy
Nuclear Power
The US & Russia agree to arms control after 9 years of negotiatons
Bush & Gorbachev sign the Strategic Arms Reduction
Bush & Gorbachev sign the Strategic Arms Reduction
Nuclear Power
Bush & Gorbachev sign the Strategic Arms Reduction
Treaty of SAR
Bush & Gorbachev sign the Strategic Arms Reduction
Treaty of START 1
Signs START 1 with the USA to reduce offensive strategic arms
G7
Russia attends the G7 Conference
August
Coup
Imprisoned at his holiday villa, dacha, in the Crimea by hardline communists
Coup
Gorbachev is detained in his summer residence on the orders of Kryuchkov
Appeal for Resistance to GKChP
Declares the emergency committee unconstitutional and calls for a general strike and civil resistance.
Arrest of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev
Arrested during a coup
Coup
One of the ring leaders who plots against Gorbachev
Coup
A coup takes place while Gorbachev is establishing a federal Union of Sovereign States
Coup
Arrested during a coup
Coup
Gennady Yanayev is declared Gorbachevs replacement as President. Forms an 8 man Emergency Committee & declares Gorbachev deposed. Declares as state of emergency
Coup
Forms an 8 man Emergency Committee & declares Gorbachev deposed & a state of emergency
Coup
Forms an 8 man Emergency Committee & declares Gorbachev deposed & a state of emergency
Coup
Gennady Yanayev is declared Gorbachevs replacement as President. Forms an 8 man Emergency Committee. Declares Gorbachev deposed. Declares a state of emergency
Resistance to August Coup
Emerges as the principal public leader of resistance to the State Committee for the State of Emergency.
Russian White House Resistance Headquarters
Uses the Russian White House as the political headquarters for organized resistance to the emergency committee.
State of Emergency
Declares as state of emergency
State of Emergency
Forms an 8 man Emergency Committee & declares Gorbachev deposed & a state of emergency
State of Emergency
Forms an 8 man Emergency Committee & declares Gorbachev deposed & a state of emergency
State of Emergency
Declares a state of emergency
Vice President
Appointed President of Russia by the Emergency Committee
White House Armoured Vehicle Address
Addresses crowds from an armoured vehicle outside the Russian White House during resistance to the August coup.
Coup
Russian troops defect to Yeltsin & the coup collapses
Coup
Putin resigns from the state security services during the KGB-supported abortive putsch against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev
KGB (Committee for State Security)
Putin resigns from the state security services during the KGB-supported abortive putsch against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev
Resignation of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
Putin resigns from the state security services during the KGB-supported abortive putsch against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev
Arrest of Gennady Ivanovich Yanaev
The coup fails & Yanaev is arrested but later amnestied by the Russian Duma
August Coup Collapse
The hard-line coup collapses as military support shifts and resistance centered on the Russian White House succeeds.
Coup
The communist conspirators flee Moscow
Coup
Gorbachev is held under guard in a Dacha by the Black Sea
Coup
Restored as President & the coup is defeated. Reform is given a poweeful boost as the Communist Party is weakened
Coup
The coup fails & Yanaev is arrested but later amnestied by the Russian Duma
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.