Its generally accepted that the first animal in space was Laika, a dog sent into orbit by the Soviet Union in 1957. Sadly Laika died whilst in orbit but her name lives on as part of an incredible period in space travel...
Category - Soviet Union
Matt HarrisTupolev Concorde
The name Tupolev Concorde is a colloquialism coined for Russias first and only supersonic airliner which briefly made an impact on the world stage in the 1960s and 1970s. The correct term for this incredible aircraft...
Soviet shoes
At present there is a large market for collectable items from the Soviet era and Soviet shoes and boots can trade for large sums of money. In addition, there are new makes of shoes branded as ‘Soviet’, that come with a...
Soviet Cars
When you think of some of the classic vehicles to emerge from the Soviet era it’s easy to build an image of a lumbering stereotype; a kind of dull, functional car that looked and felt extremely similar to other models...
AndyValentina Tereshkova Facts
The space race was a fascinating era for those who like to study recent Russian history and there are many notable achievements that can be claimed by the former USSR. While the Soviet Union may have missed out on the...
Stalin’s Purges
The cruel reign of Josef Stalin as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was probably the bleakest period in Russia’s history. During this time, millions of ordinary Russian Citizens died in exile...
Russian Revolution facts
While we are all aware that the Russian Revolution of 1917 changed the face of the country’s history, how much do we really know about these dramatic events? If you’ve ever wanted to know more about this pivotal part of...
How did Joseph Stalin die
When you consider the controversial life of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, it’s perhaps no surprise that his death itself is shrouded in myth and mystery. Was Stalin murdered, or did he die of natural causes? There...
How many people died at Chernobyl
The Chernobyl disaster is known all across the world and the events of 26th April 1986 have made a permanent mark on history. The events surrounding the explosion and fire at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the...
What year did the Cold War start
Anybody who lived through the Cold War years will remember a continuing state of tension between the Soviet Union and the West but how and when did it all start? Historians may differ on this point to some extent and...