Joseph Stalin

How Ukrainian-origin leaders dominated the Soviet Union

Ukraine is a small country compared to Russia - but it punched above its weight when it came to political influence within the Soviet Union.

Is Russia trying to cover up the crimes of the Soviet Union?

Russian authorities want to rehabilitate some of the worst figures of the Soviet Union, but not everyone is convinced.

Why was Istanbul home to royals, thinkers and artists from East and West?

Apart from giving refuge to the troubled and destitute, the city also stole the heart of many renowned artists, thinkers and philosophers.

Will Russia use the pandemic to crack down further on Crimean Tatars?

There are increasing concerns that Russian authorities will take advantage of lockdown measures.

Russian court backs Putin presidential 'reset' plan

The approval came just two days after Putin signed the reform bill, which has faced fierce criticism from opposition figures who say it will allow the longtime Russian leader to become "president for life."

Allies back Russia's Putin as critics denounce 'president for life' plan

Constitutional changes allowing Vladimir Putin to run for president again in 2024 sail through both houses of parliament, raising prospect he could clock up over three decades in Kremlin and rule longer than Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

Analysis: What keeps Putin in power?

The Russian president’s enormous influence over the country’s destiny has forced comparisons between Putin and the former Tsars.

Turkey remembers 1944 deportation of Ahiska Turks

In 1944, over 92,000 Ahiska Turks, also known as Meskhetian Turks, were expelled from Georgia’s Meskheti region by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, according to the World Ahiska Turks Association.

Germany to mark 30 years since modern history's most famous wall fell

Fortified with barbed wire and overseen by armed guards who would shoot to kill, the Berlin Wall came down in November 1989, following the collapse of communism.

Meet Russia's anonymous blogger who was forced to shed his anonymity

With his sharp and witty political commentary, wheelchair-bound Alexander Gorbunov stirred Russia's public discourse, gaining over a million followers on Twitter in a short time and attracting the attention of the police.

70 years on, Berlin recalls Airlift 'Candy Bombers'

For almost a year, mainly American and British pilots created a lifeline to support war-ravaged West Berlin, then encircled and blockaded by Soviet forces, with food and fuel.

Putin might be the last best hope for Kim Jong Un

Can Russian President Vladimir Putin pick up where the US has failed in the Korean Peninsula?