2023 in Russia explained

Events in the year 2023 in Russia.

Incumbents

• President – Vladimir Putin
• Prime Minister – Mikhail Mishustin

Events

Ongoing: Russian invasion of Ukraine (timeline)

• 21 February – during the Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly, Vladimir Putin announced Russia's suspension of participation in the New START treaty, stating that Russia would not allow the US and NATO to inspect its nuclear facilities. He claimed the United States was continuing to develop new nuclear weapons, and if the U.S. conducted any nuclear weapons tests, then Russia would develop and test its own.^{[1] [2] [3]}
• 20–22 March - 2023 visit by Xi Jinping to Russia
• 25 March – Russian President Vladimir Putin announces that Russia will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus by July. The nuclear missiles will be operated by Russian forces. It will be the first time that Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed abroad since 1996.^{[4] [5]}
• 2 April – Assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky, a bombing occurred in the Street Food Bar №1 café on Universitetskaya Embankment in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, real name Maxim Fomin, died as a result of the explosion^{[6] [7] [8]} and 42 people were injured, 24 of whom were hospitalized, including six in critical condition.^{[9] [10] [11]}
• 3 April –
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake strikes Kamchatka Krai, with damage reported in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The Mutnovskaya Power Station is also temporarily shut down.^[12]
  • Russia announces a ban on Armenian dairy imports amid a continued worsening of relations between the two countries.
• 27 April – the Moscow City Court ordered the SOVA Center which monitored nationalist and racist movements in Russia to close over claims that it carried out its activities throughout Russia despite only being registered in Moscow. The order occurred during a crackdown on human rights and independent organizations in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.^[13]
• 6 May – Russian writer and pro-war nationalist Zakhar Prilepin is injured and his driver is killed when their vehicle is hit by a car bomb in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia.^{[14] [15]}
• 13 June- Russia hints at possibly leaving the Black Sea grain deal. President Vladimir Putin announces that Russia is contemplating withdrawing from Black Sea grain deal. Putin said Russia entered the Black Sea grain deal to help “friendly” countries in Africa and Latin America and maintain good relationships but they were deceived by the west.^[16]
• 14 June- The State Duma gives preliminary approval to a bill Banning Gender reassignment and outlaws changing birth gender on documents.^{[17] [18] [19]}
• 23 June – The Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, launched an armed rebellion after accusing the Russian military of killing Wagner forces. Wagner units withdrew from Ukraine and seized the city of Rostov-on-Don in Russia.^[20]
• 24 June – The Wagner Group rebellion was abruptly halted by a deal brokered by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko.
• 27 June – Russia drops all charges against Wagner Group. The defence ministry also announced that the group will be disarmed.^[21]
• 14 July – The State Duma approves bill banning nearly all medical help for transgender people including gender reassignment surgeries.^[22]
• 17 July – Russia officially pulls out of the Black Sea grain deal.^[23]
• 24 July – President Putin signs into law the law banning nearly all medical help for transgender people including gender reassignment surgeries.^{[24] [25] [26]}
• 14 August – At least 35 people are killed and 105 others are injured in an explosion at a gas station in Makhachkala, Dagestan.^[27]
• 23 August – 2023 Wagner Group plane crash.
• 2 September – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Russia will provide free grain to six African countries with plans supply up to 50 thousand tonnes.^[28]
• 8 September –
  • Russia begins shipping crude oil to Brazil through Lukoil from Murmansk to Madre de Deus port, operated by Transpetro, a subsidiary of Petrobras.^[29]
  • The Russian government summons the ambassador of Armenia to protest recent actions and statements undertaken by the Armenian government, amid a continuing of deterioration of relations between the two nations.^[30]
  • 2023 Russian elections

Russians elect the bodies of local government in the country.^[31]

• • • Russia says that its air defense systems shot down two Ukrainian drones that were attempting to attack a polling station in Skadovsk, Kherson Oblast, while voting was occurring.^[32]
  • Russia's security services detain a man for plotting to blow up a railway in Crimea and collecting information on the deployment of Russian defense ministry facilities and units.^[33]
• 10 September – 2023 Russian regional elections and By-elections to the 8th Russian State Duma^{[34] [35]}
• 12 September – 2023 North Korea-Russia summit: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives in Russia for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.^[36]
• 13 September – The North Korea–Russia summit is held at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur Oblast, Russia, lasting for four hours, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowing that North Korea will support Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• 17 September – The 2023 North Korea–Russia summit concludes with Kim Jong Un returning to North Korea.^[37]
• 12 October – The United Nations Human Rights Council extends a special rapporteur's mandate to investigate human rights violations in Russia for an additional year, despite Russia's previous refusal to recognize the rapporteur's mandate or permit her entry into the country.^[38]
• 13 October – Russian police detain one of the lawyers of Alexei Navalny and raid the houses of the other two, accusing them of belonging to an extremist organization.^[39]
• 17 October –
  • The State Duma votes unanimously to revoke Russia's ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.^[40]
  • Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Russian President Vladimir Putin hold talks at the Belt and Road Initiative forum in Beijing, China. It is the first meeting between Putin and an EU leader since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.^[41]
• 23 October – A Russian district court extends RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva's detention until December 5 as a "preventive measure" after Kurmasheva allegedly failed to register as a "foreign agent".^[42]
• 24 October – Lukoil's second chairman in just over a year, Vladimir Nekrasov, dies due to acute heart failure.^[43]
• 28 October – Anti-Jewish unrest in the North Caucasus: Protesters gather on the tarmac of Uytash Airport in Makhachkala, Dagestan, as a Red Wings Airlines flight from Tel Aviv, Israel, arrives, shouting antisemitic slogans and attempting to storm the plane.^[44]
• 2 November – Russian President Vladimir Putin signs a law formally withdrawing Russia's ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Russia maintains that it will not resume nuclear weapons testing unless the United States does.^[45]
• 30 November – the Russian Supreme Court ruled the "international LGBT movement" to be extremist, outlawing it in the country.^{[46] [47]}
• 6 December – Former People's Deputy of Ukraine Illia Kyva, who defected to Russia in March 2022, is found dead in Moscow Oblast.^[48]
• 7 December – One person is killed and five are injured in a mass shooting in Bryansk.^{[49] [50]}
• 23 December – The Central Election Commission rejects journalist Yekaterina Duntsova's candidacy for president, citing errors in Duntsova's submitted documents.^[51]

Deaths

January

• 1 January – Viktor Ivanenko, 75, security officer.^[52]
• 2 January – Viktor Fainberg, 91, philologist and Soviet dissident.^[53]
• 3 January
  • Ruslan Khasbulatov, 80, economist and politician, chairman of the Supreme Soviet (1991–1993).^[54]
  • Aleksey Malashenko, 71, academic and political scientist.^[55]
• 5 January
  • Magomed Abdulaev, 61, lawyer and politician.^[56]
  • Albert Rachkov, 95, diplomat and politician, second secretary of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan (1980–1986).^[57]
• 7 January
  • Aleksandr Kharchikov, 73, folk singer-songwriter.^[58]
  • Yuri Manin, 85, mathematician (Gauss–Manin connection).^[59]
• 8 January
  • Aleksandr Shabanov, 87, chemist and politician, deputy (1995–2003).^[60]
  • Georgy Shayduko, 60, sailor, Olympic silver medallist (1996), cardiac arrest.^[61]
  • Aleksey Slapovsky, 65, novelist, playwright and screenwriter (The Irony of Fate 2).^[62]
• 11 January – Murtaza Rakhimov, 88, politician, president of Bashkortostan (1993–2010).^[63]
• 12 January – Sulambek Mamilov, 84, film director (Ladies' Tango, Day of Wrath, The Murder at Zhdanovskaya).^[64]
• 14 January
  • Inna Churikova, 79, actress (Jack Frost, The Very Same Munchhausen, Walking the Streets of Moscow).^[65]
  • Georgy Gagloev, 25, mixed martial artist, strangled.^[66]
• 17 January – Vladimir Rusalov, 83, psychologist and anthropologist.^[67]
• 18 January
  • Nikolai Dostal, 76, film director (Man with an Accordion, Cloud-Paradise), screenwriter and actor (Sea Tales).^[68]
  • Valiulla Maksutov, 68, politician, senator (1996).^[69]
• 19 January
  • Maya Menglet, 87, actress (It Happened in Penkovo, Chance, Bram Stoker's Burial of the Rats).^[70]
  • Andrey Popov, 59, politician, MP (1993–1995).^[71]
  • Arsen Sukhovsky, actor (Non-Orphanage).^[72]
  • Vera Votintseva, 56, singer-songwriter.^[73]
• 22 January –, 91, Russian film director, screenwriter (The Year of the Dog) and writer.^[74]
• 23 January
  • German Klimov, 81, athlete and screenwriter (Sport, Sport, Sport, Farewell).^[75]
  • Dolores Kondrashova, 86, hairdresser.^[76]
  • Valeri Urin, 88, football player (Dynamo Moscow, Daugava Riga, Soviet Union national team) and manager.^[77]
• 27 January – Alexander Pushnitsa, 73, sambo practitioner, cancer.^[78]
• 28 January
  • Evgeny Mogilevsky, 77, pianist.^[79]
  • , 81, animator (Leopold the Cat), painter and sculptor.^[80]
  • Vasily Zakharyashchev, 77, politician, deputy (2007–2011).^[81]
• 30 January – Viktor Ageyev, 86, water polo player, Olympic silver medallist (1960).^[82]

February

• 8 February – Ivan Silayev, 92, last Premier of the Soviet Union

August

• 23 August
  • Yevgeny Prigozhin, 62, leader of the Wagner group
  • Dmitry Utkin, 53, military officer and mercenary
  • Valery Chekalov, 47, mercenary leader

October

• 31 October – Oleg Protopopov, 91, figure skater, Olympic gold medallist (1964, 1968).^[83]

Notes and References

1. News: Putin defends Ukraine invasion, warns West in address . en . NHK WORLD . 21 February 2023.
2. News: 2023-02-21 . Putin Says Russia to Suspend New START Nuke Pact Participation . en . Bloomberg.com . 2023-02-21.
3. https://www.wsj.com/articles/putin-suspends-new-start-nuclear-arms-treaty-with-u-s-6498b44?mod=mhp Putin Suspends Nuclear-Arms Treaty Between Russia, U.S.
4. News: Putin: Russia to station nuclear weapons in Belarus . BBC News . 25 March 2023 .
5. News: Putin says Moscow to place nuclear weapons in Belarus, US reacts cautiously . Reuters . 26 March 2023 . Ljunggren . David .
6. Web site: 2023-04-02 . Alert: Russian media say a famous military blogger has been killed in an apparent bombing attack at a café in St. Petersburg . 2023-04-02 . The Middletown Press . en-US . 2 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230402165102/https://www.middletownpress.com/news/world/article/alert-russian-media-say-a-famous-military-17874298.php . live .
7. News: Trevelyan . Mark . Light . Felix . Trevelyan . Mark . 2023-04-02 . Russian military blogger killed in St Petersburg bomb blast - agencies . en . Reuters . 2023-04-02 . 2 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230402164705/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-military-blogger-killed-explosion-st-petersburg-agencies-2023-04-02/ . live .
8. Stepanenko, Kateryna and Kagan, Frederick W. (2 April 2023). Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 2, 2023 Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
9. Web site: Новости . Р. И. А. . 2023-04-04 . После взрыва в Петербурге за медпомощью обратились 42 человека . After the explosion in St. Petersburg, 42 people asked for medical help . 2023-04-05 . РИА Новости . ru . 5 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230405145623/https://ria.ru/20230404/medpomosch-1863022543.html . live .
10. Web site: Минздрав: 42 человека обратились за медпомощью после взрыва в Петербурге - Газета.Ru Новости . Ministry of Health: 42 people asked for medical help after the explosion in St. Petersburg - Gazeta.Ru News . 2023-04-05 . Газета.Ru . 4 April 2023 . ru . 5 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230405233847/https://www.gazeta.ru/social/news/2023/04/04/20136319.shtml . live .
11. Web site: Денисовна . Косолапова Арина . 2023-04-04 . Число пострадавших от взрыва в Санкт-Петербурге увеличилось до 42 . The number of victims of the explosion in St. Petersburg increased to 42 . 2023-04-05 . Известия . ru . 5 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230405235349/https://iz.ru/1493623/2023-04-04/chislo-postradavshikh-ot-vzryva-v-sankt-peterburge-uvelichilos-do-42 . live .
12. Web site: На Камчатке из-за землетрясения отключился генератор электростанции: ИА "Кам 24" . 2023-04-10 . KAM24.RU.
13. Web site: Times . The Moscow . 2023-04-27 . Moscow Court Orders Closure Of Sova Analytical Center . 2023-04-28 . The Moscow Times . en.
14. News: Zakhar Prilepin: Russian pro-war blogger injured in car bomb . BBC News . 6 May 2023 .
15. News: Russian nationalist writer wounded in car bombing, one dead . Reuters . 6 May 2023 . 6 May 2023 . 6 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230506123237/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-nationalist-writer-prilepin-wounded-car-bombing-tass-2023-05-06/ . live .
16. News: Russia Considering Quitting Ukraine safe corridor crop deal, Putin says . Bloomberg.
17. Web site: Russian Lawmakers Vote to Ban Gender Reassignment . 14 June 2023 .
18. Web site: Russia's State Duma unanimously adopts bill on 'sex change' ban in first reading .
19. News: Russian State Duma Approves Bill Banning Gender Reassignment on First Reading . Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty .
20. News: 24 June 2023 . LIVE: Rebel Russian mercenaries seize part of second city as Putin vows punishment . BBC News . 24 June 2023.
21. News: Wagner group to hand over heavy weapons as FSB drops mutiny charges . BBC.
22. News: Russia's Duma votes for law to ban gender reassignment surgery, in further crackdown on LGBTQ rights . CNN .
23. News: Russia pulls out of Ukraine grain deal, in potential blow to global food supplies . CNN .
24. News: Vladimir Putin signs law banning gender changes in Russia . The Guardian . 24 July 2023 .
25. Web site: Putin Signs Gender Reassignment Ban into Law . 24 July 2023 .
26. Web site: Putin signs legislation outlawing 'sex change' procedures in Russia . 25 July 2023 .
27. News: 2023-08-15 . Fire at Russian fuel station kills 35, scores injured . en . Reuters . 2023-08-15.
28. Web site: Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 556 . 2023-09-03 . www.aljazeera.com . en.
29. News: 2023-09-08 . Russia ships first oil cargo to Brazil as it seeks to diversify buyers . en . Reuters . 2023-09-08.
30. News: 2023-09-08 . Russia issues 'harsh' protest to Armenia over range of 'unfriendly' actions . en . Reuters . 2023-09-08.
31. News: Light . Felix . 2023-09-07 . Russians vote in tightly controlled regional elections . en . Reuters . 2023-09-08.
32. Web site: Mohamed . Dalia Hatuqa,Edna . Russia-Ukraine war updates: 'Four killed' in wave of Russian attacks . 2023-09-09 . www.aljazeera.com . en.
33. Web site: Russia detains man accused of plotting rail bombing in Crimea . 2023-09-09 . www.aljazeera.com . en.
34. News: 13 September 2022 . Депутат Госдумы от Крыма Черняк досрочно сложил полномочия . Ведомости.
35. Web site: 15 September 2022 . ЦИК: В следующем году запланировано 20 выборов губернаторов . rg.ru.
36. Web site: 2023-09-12 . North Korea's Kim Jong Un arrives in Russia for possible arms talks with Putin . 2023-09-12 . NBC News . en.
37. Web site: Kwon . Amarachi Orie,Darya Tarasova,Duarte Mendonca,Jake . 2023-09-17 . North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gifted bulletproof vest and drones as he leaves Russia . 2023-09-18 . CNN . en.
38. Web site: MILLARD . Robin . UN Human Rights Council Prolongs Russia Monitoring . 2023-10-12 . www.barrons.com . en-US.
39. News: Trevelyan . Mark . 2023-10-13 . Allies of Russia's Navalny say three of his lawyers detained . en . Reuters . 2023-10-13.
40. Web site: AFP . 2023-10-17 . Russia Moves to Revoke Nuclear Test Ban Treaty . 2023-10-17 . The Moscow Times . en.
41. Web site: 2023-10-17 . Putin meets Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán in first meeting with EU leader since invasion of Ukraine . 2023-10-17 . AP News . en.
42. Web site: 2023-10-23 . Russian court extends detention of US-Russian journalist . 2023-10-24 . RFI . en.
43. Web site: Thompson . Mark . 2023-10-24 . Lukoil chairman dies suddenly, second in just over a year CNN Business . 2023-10-24 . CNN . en.
44. Web site: 2023-10-29 . Hundreds storm airport in Russia in antisemitic riot over arrival of plane from Israel . 2023-10-30 . AP News . en.
45. News: Osborn . Andrew . 2023-11-02 . Putin withdraws Russia's ratification of global nuclear test ban treaty . en . Reuters . 2023-11-02.
46. Web site: Russian Supreme Court bans the whole LGBTQ movement and brands activists 'extremists' . 2023-12-01 . Sky News . en.
47. Web site: Top Russian court bans LGBT movement as 'extremist' . Reuters . 30 November 2023 . 16 February 2024.
48. Web site: Former Ukrainian lawmaker Illia Kyva found dead in Moscow region . 2023-12-06 . Meduza . en.
49. News: Russia school shooting: Teenage girl kills classmate and herself . 22 December 2023 . . 7 December 2023.
50. News: Стрельба в гимназии в Брянске 7 декабря 2023: причины, последние новости, видео . ru . . http://web.archive.org/web/20231210222805/https://www.kp.ru/daily/27591/4862593 . 2023-12-10.
51. Web site: 2023-12-23 . Russia bars pro-peace candidate from presidential ballot . 2023-12-24 . France 24 . en.
52. News: 3 January 2023. Чем запомнился первый председатель КГБ РСФСР Виктор Иваненко?. Russian. Yandex Zen. 5 January 2023.
53. Web site: Виктор Файнберг. Ахарай. . 2023-01-03 . www.facebook.com . en.
54. Web site: Last Chairman Of Supreme Soviet Of Russia Ruslan Khasbulatov Dies At Age Of 80 - Family. www.urdupoint.com. 3 January 2023.
55. News: 3 January 2023. Умер один из ведущих российских востоковедов Алексей Малашенко. Russian. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 5 January 2023.
56. News: 5 January 2023. В Махачкале после наезда автомобиля погиб экс-председатель правительства Дагестана. Russian. TASS. 6 January 2023.
57. News: 6 January 2023. О кончине А.И.Рачкова. Russian. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 10 January 2023.
58. Web site: Умер бард Александр Харчиков. ru. www.zaks.ru.
59. Web site: В возрасте 85 лет умер известный математик Юрий Манин. www.newsru.co.il. 8 January 2023 . ru.
60. Web site: Памяти товарища. gazeta-pravda.ru. ru.
61. Web site: Не Стало Георгия Шайдуко…. rusyf.ru. ru.
62. Web site: Умер писатель Алексей Слаповский. Meduza. ru.
63. Web site: Ушел из жизни экс-президент Башкирии Муртаза Рахимов. ufal.ru. 11 January 2023 . ru.
64. News: ru:Умер режиссер Суламбек Мамилов. https://tass.ru/kultura/16790565. 13 January 2023. tass.ru. 13 January 2023. ru.
65. Web site: Умерла Инна Чурикова. 14 January 2023. RIA Novosti. 14 January 2023. ru.
66. Web site: Zidan . Karim . 2023-01-15 . MMA fighter who appealed to Kadyrov to help locate missing aunt found dead on train . 2023-02-11 . Bloody Elbow . en.
67. Web site: Скончался Владимир Михайлович Русалов – Институт психологии РАН . 2023-01-23 . ru-RU.
68. Web site: Умер режиссер Николай Досталь - Газета.Ru Новости . 2023-01-23 . Газета.Ru . 19 January 2023 . ru.
69. Web site: Невосполнимая утрата . 2023-02-11 . www.pohgor.ru.
70. Web site: Умерла звезда фильма "Дело было в Пенькове" Майя Менглет . 2023-01-23 . www.womanhit.ru.
71. Web site: Новости . Р. И. А. . 2023-01-19 . Умер депутат Госдумы I созыва Андрей Попов . 2023-01-23 . РИА Новости . ru.
72. Web site: Болдырева . Ангира . Погиб юный актер, детдомовец Арсен Суховский, сыгравший в фильме с Иваном Охлобыстиным STARHIT . 2023-01-23 . www.starhit.ru . ru.
73. Web site: Умерла автор-исполнитель Вера Вотинцева . 2023-01-23 . stuki-druki.com . 19 January 2023 . ru.
74. Web site: На 92-м году жизни умер режиссер, сценарист и писатель Вадим Михайлов . 2023-02-11 . NEWSru.co.il . 24 January 2023 . ru.
75. Web site: Советский легкоатлет и сценарист Герман Климов скончался на 82-м году жизни . 2023-02-11 . Вечерняя Москва . ru.
76. Web site: Звездный парикмахер Долорес Кондрашова умерла в возрасте 86 лет . 2023-01-23 . m24.ru . ru.
77. Web site: Новости ФК "Динамо" Москва Скончался Валерий Урин. Официальный сайт клуба Динамо. . 2023-01-23 . Футбольный клуб «Динамо» Москва . 23 January 2023 . ru.
78. Web site: Умер трехкратный чемпион мира по самбо Александр Пушница. 16 February 2024.
79. News: Mort du pianiste russe Evgueni Moguilevski . France Musique . Louis-Valentin Lopez . 2023-02-01 . 2024-02-16.
80. Web site: Аниматор.ру | Новости | Ушел из жизни художник Вячеслав Назарук.. www.animator.ru. 16 February 2024.
81. https://souzsadovodov.ru/news/glavnye-novosti/6816-pamyati-tovarischa Памяти товарища
82. Web site: Olympedia – Viktor Ageyev. www.olympedia.org. 16 February 2024.
83. Web site: Olympic Figure Skater Oleg Protopopov Dead at 91. People. en. November 5, 2023.