List of wars involving Russia

This is a list of wars and armed conflicts involving Russia and its predecessors in chronological order, from the 9th to the 21st century.

The Russian military and troops of its predecessor states in Russia took part in a large number of wars and armed clashes in various parts of the world: starting from the princely squads, opposing the raids of nomads, and fighting for the expansion of the territory of Kievan Rus'. Following the disintegration of Kievan Rus', the emergence of the Principality of Moscow and then the centralized Russian state saw a period of significant territorial growth of the state centred in Moscow and then St. Petersburg during the 15th to 20th centuries, marked by wars of conquest in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, the Volga region, Siberia, Central Asia and the Far East, the world wars of the early 20th century, the proxy wars of the Cold War, and today.

The list includes:

  • external wars
  • foreign intervention in domestic conflicts
  • anti-colonial uprisings of the peoples conquered during the Russian expansion
  • princely feuds
  • peasant uprisings
  • revolutions

Legend of results:

  Victory
  Defeat
  Another result; for example, a treaty or peace without a clear result, status quo ante bellum, indecisive, civil or internal conflict, or result unknown
  Ongoing conflict

Kievan Rus'

Date Conflict Location Rus and its allies Opponent(s) Result
830s Paphlagonian expedition of the Rusʹ Rus' Khaganate Byzantine Empire Victory[a]
860 Siege of Constantinople (860) Rus' Khaganate Byzantine Empire Victory[a]
907 Rus'–Byzantine War (907) Kievan Rus' Byzantine Empire Victory[1]
920–1036 Rus'–Pecheneg campaigns Kievan Rus' Pechenegs Various results; eventually victory
941 Rus'–Byzantine War (941) Kievan Rus' Byzantine Empire Defeat
944/945 Rus'-Byzantine War (944/945) Kievan Rus' Byzantine Empire Victory[2]
964–965 Sviatoslav's campaign against Khazars Kievan Rus' Khazar Khaganate Victory
  • Destruction of the Khazar Khaganate
967/968–971 Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria Kievan Rus' Byzantine Empire Defeat
981 Vladimir the Great's campaign on Cherven Cities Kievan Rus' Duchy of Poland Victory
985 Vladimir the Great's campaign against Volga Bulgaria Kievan Rus' Volga Bulgaria Military victory, then agreement
987 Rus'–Byzantine War (987) Kievan Rus' Byzantine Empire Military victory and agreement
  • Baptism of Vladimir and further Christianization of Kievan Rus'
1022 Yaroslav the Wise's attack on Brest Kievan Rus' Duchy of Poland Defeat
1024 Rus'–Byzantine War (1024) Kievan Rus' Byzantine Empire Defeat
1030 Yaroslav the Wise's campaign against Chud Kievan Rus' Chud Victory
  • Estonian tribes start to pay tribute to Rus'
1030–1031 Yaroslav the Wise's campaign on Cherven Cities Kievan Rus' Duchy of Poland Victory
1042–1228 Finnish–Novgorodian wars Kievan Rus' (until 1136) Baltic Finnic peoples of Fennoscandia (Yem people) Various results, mostly victories
1043 Rus'–Byzantine War (1043) Kievan Rus' Byzantine Empire Defeat
1055–1223 Rus'–Cuman campaigns Kievan Rus' Cumans Various results, mostly victories
1061 Sosols raid against Pskov Kievan Rus' Sosols Defeat
  • Yaroslav the Wise's conquests in Estonia are lost
1132–1445 Swedish–Novgorodian Wars Kievan Rus' (until 1136) Kingdom of Sweden

Kingdom of Norway (from 1319)

Stalemate after the Black Death
1147 Bolesław IV the Curly's raid on Old Prussians Bolesław IV the Curly
Kievan Rus'
Old Prussians Victory
1203–1234 Campaigns of Rus princes against the Order of the Sword (see also Livonian Crusade) Livonian Brothers of the Sword Defeat
  • The crusaders capture Baltic lands up to the borders of Kievan Rus' and Lithuania
1223–1240 Mongol invasion of Rus'(see also List of Tatar and Mongol raids against Rus') Mongol Empire Decisive defeat
  • The principalities of the Kievan Rus' became vassals of the Mongol Empire
1240–1242 Livonian campaign against Rus' (see also Northern Crusades) Kievan Rus'

Novgorod Republic

Kingdom of Sweden

Victory
  • Defeat of the Germans
  • Peace with Prince Alexander Nevsky
  • The waiving of claims on northern Rus'
1245 Alexandr Nevsky Lithuanian campaign Kievan Rus'

Novgorod Republic

Grand Duchy of Lithuania Victory
1268 Battle of Wesenberg Denmark Denmark

Teutonic Order

Both sides claim victory

Principality of Moscow (1263–1547)

Date Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result
1281–1293/4[3] Vladimir-Suzdal war of succession (1281–1293) [ru] Nogai forces[5]
Dmitry of Pereslavl[5]
Mikhail of Tver[5]
Daniel of Moscow[5]
Tode Mongke (1281–1287)[6]
Tokhta forces[5]
Andrey of Gorodets[5]
Theodore the Black[5]
Rostov princes[5]
Tokhta victory[5]
1296/8–1302[3] Struggle for Pereslavl-Zalessky[3] Daniel of Moscow[3]
Mikhail of Tver[3]

Tokhta[3]

Andrey of Gorodets[3]
Theodore the Black[3]
Konstantin of Ryazan[3]
Muscovite–Tverian victory[3]
1305–1485 Muscovite–Tverian wars [uk; ru]
(series of short wars, mixed with other conflicts)
Principality of Moscow Principality of Tver Victory
  • Tver annexed by Moscow (1485)
1327 Tver Uprising of 1327
(part of the Muscovite–Tverian wars [uk; ru])
Golden Horde
Ivan I Kalita of Moscow
Alexander of Suzdal [uk; ru]
Principality of Tver
Grand Principality of Vladimir[b]
Golden Horde victory
1368–1372 Lithuanian–Muscovite War (1368–72)
(part of the Great Troubles and the Muscovite–Tverian wars [uk; ru])
Principality of Moscow Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Principality of Tver

Inconclusive
1376 Muscovite–Volga Bulgars war
(part of the Great Troubles)
Principality of Moscow Volga Bulgaria Victory
1377 Battle on Pyana River
(part of the Great Troubles)
Principality of Moscow Golden Horde Defeat
1378 Battle of the Vozha River
(part of the Great Troubles)
Principality of Moscow Golden Horde Victory
1380 Battle of Kulikovo
(part of the Great Troubles[8])
Rus' principalities:[9] Western part of the Golden Horde Victory for the Rus' principalities coalition[10]
  • Moscow replaced Tver as the most prominent of the northeastern Rus' principalities[10]
1382 Siege of Moscow
(part of the aftermath of the Great Troubles)
Principality of Moscow Golden Horde Defeat[11]
1406–1408 Lithuanian–Muscovite War (1406–1408) [uk]
(part of the Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars)
Principality of Moscow Grand Duchy of Lithuania Hungarian Treaty [uk] (1 September 1408)
1425–1453[13] Muscovite War of Succession[14] Younger Donskoy line
Vasily II Vasilyevich
Dmitry II Shemyaka (1434–9)
Boris of Tver (c. 1438)
Mäxmüd of Kazan (1445–8)
Qasim Khan (1452–3)
Older Donskoy line
Yury Dmitrievich (1425–34)
Vasily Kosoy (1434–6)
Ulugh of Kazan (1437–45)
Dmitry II Shemyaka (1439; 1445–53)
Ivan of Mozhaysk [ru; uk] (1447–53)
Vasily II victory[13]
  • Younger lineage of Dmitry Donskoy gained the Muscovite throne[13][15]
1437–1445 Ulugh Muhammad's campaign (first Russo-Kazan war)
(from Battle of Belyov to Battle of Suzdal)
(connected with the Muscovite War of Succession)
Younger Donskoy line
Vasily II Vasilyevich
Dmitry II Shemyaka (1437–9)
Older Donskoy line
Ulugh of Kazan
Dmitry II Shemyaka (1439)
Ulugh victory
1467–1469 Qasim War Grand Principality of Moscow Khanate of Kazan Victory
  • Kazan released all ethnic Christian Russians enslaved in the preceding four decades[16]
1471 Battle of Shelon Grand Principality of Moscow Novgorod Republic Victory
  • Novgorod Republic annexed by the Grand Principality of Moscow in 1478
1478 Siege of Kazan Grand Principality of Moscow Khanate of Kazan Victory
1480 Great Stand on the Ugra River Grand Principality of Moscow Golden Horde Debated[17][18]
  • Traditional Russian historiography: Muscovite victory, and the end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke in Russia[17][18]
  • Modern Western scholarly historiography: Insignificant non-battle, embellished in later accounts; Moscow retained formal relations with Tatar khanates and continued paying tribute to the Crimean Khanate for decades[17][18]
1480–1481 Russian-Livonian War (1480-1481) Russia Livonian Confederation Victory
1485 Capture of Tver (1485) [ru]
(part of the Muscovite–Tverian wars [uk; ru])
Grand Principality of Moscow Principality of Tver Victory
  • Principality of Tver annexed by the Grand Principality of Moscow
1487–1494 First Muscovite-Lithuanian War Grand Principality of Moscow Grand Duchy of Lithuania Victory
1495–1497 Russo-Swedish War Grand Principality of Moscow Sweden Inconclusive
1500–1503 Second Muscovite–Lithuanian War Grand Principality of Moscow Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Livonian Order

Victory
1505–1507 Russo-Kazan War Grand Principality of Moscow Khanate of Kazan Inconclusive
1507–1508 Third Muscovite–Lithuanian War Grand Principality of Moscow Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Crimean Khanate

Inconclusive
1512–1522 Fourth Muscovite–Lithuanian War Grand Principality of Moscow

Livonian Order

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Crimean Khanate

Victory
1534–1537 Fifth Muscovite–Lithuanian War Grand Principality of Moscow Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Crimean Khanate

Inconclusive

Tsardom of Russia (1547–1721)

Date Conflict Location Russia and its allies Opponent(s) Result
1552 Siege of Kazan Tatarstan Russia Khanate of Kazan Victory
  • The annexation of Kazan into Russia
1552–1556 Tatar Rebellion Tatarstan Russia Tatar rebels Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1554–1557 Ivan the Terrible's Swedish War Karelia Russia Sweden Inconclusive
1556 Russian conquest of Astrakhan Astrakhan Russia Astrakhan Khanate Victory
1558–1562 Ivan the Terrible's Livonian Campaign Livonia Russia Livonian Confederation Victory
  • Destruction of the Livonian state
  • Truce with Poland and Lithuania[19]
1562–1570 Russo-Lithuanian War Northern Europe Russia Polish–Lithuanian union Victory
1558–1583 Livonian War Northern Europe Defeat
1568–1570 Astrakhan Expedition Astrakhan and Azov Russia Victory
  • Treaty of Constantinople (1570)
1570–1572 Ivan the Terrible's Crimean War European Russia Russia Crimean Khanate Victory
  • The Crimean Tatars burn Moscow in 1571
  • The Russians defeat the Crimean Tatars at the Battle of Molodi in 1572
  • The independence of Russia and its conquests in the Volga region preserved
1580–1762 Russian conquest of Siberia Siberia Russia Khanate of Sibir (until 1598)

Native Siberians

Victory
  • The start of Russian annexation of Siberia
1590–1595 Boris Godunov's Swedish War Northern Europe Russia Sweden Inconclusive
1605–1618 Polish invasions of Russia Russia
Poland–Lithuania Defeat
1606–1607 Bolotnikov Rebellion Russia Russia Rebels under Ivan Bolotnikov Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1610–1617 Ingrian War Russia Russia Sweden Defeat
1632–1634 Smolensk War Smolensk Russia Poland–Lithuania Defeat
1651–1653 Alexis I's Persian War North Caucasus Russia Persia Defeat
1652–1689 Sino–Russian border conflicts Heilongjiang and Amur Defeat
1654–1667 First Northern War Eastern Europe Russia Victory
1656–1658 Second Northern War Northern Europe Russia Sweden Inconclusive
1662–1664 First Bashkir Rebellion Bashkortostan Russia Bashkir rebels Inconclusive; political defeat
  • The Russian government was forced to accept Bashkir demands
1670–1671 Razin's Rebellion Russia Russia Cossacks under Stepan Razin Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1676–1681 Feodor III's Turkish War Ukraine Russia Indecisive[20]
1683–1700 Great Turkish War Eastern Europe Victory
1700–1721 Great Northern War Europe
Victory against Sweden
Defeat by Ottoman Empire
1704–1711 Third Bashkir Rebellion Bashkortostan and Tatarstan Russia Bashkir rebels Military victory, political defeat
  • Russian government forced to accept some Bashkir demands
1707–1708 Bulavin Rebellion Southern Russia Russia Don Cossack rebels Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1717 Peter the Great's Khivan War Khanate of Khiva Russia Khanate of Khiva Defeat
  • Russian invasion repelled
1717–1731 War with Abulhair Kazakhstan and Siberia Russia Kazakh Khanate Victory[21]
  • Minor Jüz becomes a Russian vassal

Russian Empire (1721–1917)

Date Conflict Location Russia and its allies Opponent(s) Result
1722–1723 Persian Expedition of Peter the Great Caucasus and northern Iran Persia Victory
1725–1778 Russian conquest of Chukotka Chukotka Chukchi people Inconclusive
  • Attempts to impose a tribute failed in the long run.
  • The Chukchi accepted the agreement on submission, while maintaining a high degree of autonomy.
1733–1738 War of the Polish Succession Rhineland Poland Indecisive
1735–1739 Russo-Austro-Turkish War Eastern Europe Russia

Habsburg monarchy Austria

Ottoman Empire Victory
1735–1740 Fourth Bashkir Rebellion Bashkortostan Russia
  • Russian Empire pro-Russian Bashkirs
Bashkir rebels Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
  • Establishment of Orenburg
1740–1748 War of the Austrian Succession Europe
Inconclusive
Victory against Sweden
1756–1763 Seven Years' War Europe and North America White peace
1768–1769 Koliivshchyna Rebellion Ukraine Russia

Poland-Lithuania

Haidamaky Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1768–1772 War of the Bar Confederation Poland Russia Victory
1768–1774 Catherine the Great's First Turkish War Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Mediterranean Russia Ottoman Empire Victory
1773–1775 Pugachev's Rebellion Russia Russia Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1787–1792 Catherine the Great's Second Turkish War Eastern Europe Russia Ottoman Empire Victory
1783–1797 Syrym Datuly's rebellion Kazakhstan Russia Kazakhs Victory
1788–1790 Catherine the Great's Swedish War Finland, western Sweden, and the Baltic Sea Russia Sweden Sweden Inconclusive
1792 Catherine the Great's Polish War Poland Russia

Targowica Confederation

Poland–Lithuania Victory
1794 Kościuszko Uprising Poland Poland–Lithuania Victory
1796 Persian Expedition of Catherine the Great North Caucasus and South Caucasus Russia Persia Victory
1799–1802 War of the Second Coalition Europe Withdrawal in 1799
  • French victory in 1802
1803–1806 War of the Third Coalition Europe Defeat
1804–1813 Alexander I's Persian War North Caucasus, South Caucasus and northern Iran Russia Persia Victory
1806–1807 War of the Fourth Coalition Eastern and Central Europe Defeat
1806–1812 Alexander I's Turkish War Romania, Moldova, Caucasus and Black Sea Russia Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire Victory
1807–1812 Anglo-Russian War Baltic Sea and Barents Sea Russia  United Kingdom Inconclusive
1808–1809 Finnish War Finland and Sweden Russia Sweden Sweden Victory
1809 War of the Fifth Coalition Central Europe Victory (limited involvement)
1812 French invasion of Russia Russia Russia Victory
  • The French invasion is repelled
  • Napoleon's Grand Army is destroyed and forced to retreat
1813–1814 War of the Sixth Coalition Europe Victory
1815 War of the Seventh Coalition Europe Victory
1817–1864 Caucasian War Caucasus
Victory
1825 Decembrist revolt Saint Petersburg Russia Decembrist rebels Victory
  • The revolt is crushed
1826–1836 Uprising of Sarzhan Kasimov [ru] Kazakhstan Russia Kazakhs Victory
1826–1828 Nicholas I's Persian War South Caucasus and northern Iran Russia Persia Victory
1827 Greek War of Independence Greece  United Kingdom
France France
Russia
 Ottoman Empire Victory
1828–1829 Nicholas I's Turkish War Balkans and Caucasus Russia Ottoman Empire Victory
1830–1831 November uprising Poland Russia Poland Poland Victory
  • The uprising is crushed
1836–1838 Bukey Horde uprising Kazakhstan Russia Kazakhs Victory


1837–1847 Kenesary's Rebellion Kazakhstan Russia Kazakhs Victory
1839–1841 Second Turko-Egyptian War Syria and Lebanon Victory
  • Egypt renounces its claim to Syria
1839–1840 Khivan campaign of 1839 Central Asia Russia Khanate of Khiva Defeat
1841 Gurian rebellion Georgia Russia Gurian rebels Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1842 Shoorcha rebellion Tatarstan and Ulyanovsk Russia Tatar, Mari and Chuvash peasants Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1842–1868 Russian conquest of Bukhara Central Asia Russia Emirate of Bukhara Victory
1848–1849 Hungarian Revolution of 1848 Hungary Austrian Empire Austria

Russia

Victory
  • The revolution is crushed
1850–1868 Russian conquest of Kokand Khanate Central Asia Russia Khanate of Kokand Victory
1853–1856 Crimean War Crimea, Balkans, Caucasus, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, White Sea and Far East Russia Defeat
1858 Mahtra Rebellion Estonia Russia Estonian peasants Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1861 Bezdna Revolt Tatarstan Russia Peasants Victory
  • The revolt is crushed
1863–1864 January Uprising Poland Russia Polish, Lithuanian and Ukrainian insurgents Victory
  • The uprising is crushed
1866 Polish rebellion in Siberia Siberia Russia Polish political exiles Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1868–1869 Uprising in the Ural and Turgai Oblasts Kazakhstan Russia Kazakhs Victory
1870 Adai Rebellion Kazakhstan Russia Kazakhs Victory
1873 Khivan campaign of 1873 Central Asia Russia Khanate of Khiva Victory
1877–1878 Russo-Turkish War Balkans and Caucasus Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire Victory
1897–1898 Cretan Revolt (1897–1898) Crete Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire Victory
  • Establishment of the Cretan State
  • Withdrawal of Ottoman forces from Crete
1899–1901 Boxer Rebellion China

Qing dynasty Mutual Defence Pact of Southeast China (after 1900)

Eight-Nation Alliance victory
1902–1906 Rebellion in Guria Georgia Russia Gurian Republic Victory
  • The rebellion is crushed
1904–1905 Russo-Japanese War Manchuria, Korean Peninsula and Yellow Sea Russia Japan Defeat
1905–1907 Russian Revolution of 1905 Russia Russia Revolutionaries

Supported by:

Victory
1905–1911 Persian Constitutional Revolution Iran
Iranian constitutionalists Victory
  • Russian occupation of Northern Iran until 1917
1911 Mongolian Revolution of 1911 Mongol heartland граница Mongolian nationalists

Supported by: Russia

China Victory
1914–1917 World War I Europe and Asia Allied Powers (see list) Central Powers: Defeat, later allied victory[22][23]
1917 February Revolution Russia Russia Republicans:

Socialists:

Revolution succeeds

Russian Republic (1917)

Date Conflict Location Russia and its allies Opponent(s) Result
1917 October Revolution Russia Russia Revolution succeeds

Russian SFSR (1917–1922)

Date Conflict Location Russia and its allies Opponent(s) Result
1917–1922 Russian Civil War Eastern Europe to Central Asia and Far East
1917–1921 Ukrainian-Soviet War (Ukrainian War of Independence) Ukraine and Eastern Poland Victory
1917–1920 Central Powers intervention in the Russian Civil War Eastern Europe and Caucasus Bolsheviks:
Makhnovshchina
Central Powers:
Non-aligned Separatists:

Estonia Estonia

Latvia

Lithuania

Directorate of Ukraine[r]

Czechoslovak Legion

Transcaucasian Republic

Supported by:

Allied Powers:

Pirric Victory
1917–1920 Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War Northwest Russia, Southern Russia, Russian Central Asia and Siberia Bolsheviks:
Central Powers (until 1918):

Germany

 Austria-Hungary

Ottoman Empire

Bulgaria

Allied Powers:
Stalemate
1917–1918 Belarusian-Soviet conflict Belarus Temporary defeat
1917–1920 Kazakhstan Campaign Kazakhstan Russian SFSR Alash Autonomy

Russia White Movement

Victory
1918 Romanian intervention in Bessarabia Moldavia and Bessarabia Rumcherod

(19–30 January)

Odessa SR

(30 January–8 March)

Romanian Revolutionary Military Committee

(Feb.)

Moldavian Democratic Republic Moldavian Democratic Republic (pro-Bolshevik factions)

Supported by:

Soviet Russia

Soviet Ukraine


Russia Ukraine Odessa Committee for the Salvation of Bessarabia [ro]
Kingdom of Romania

Moldavian Democratic Republic Moldavian Democratic Republic (anti-Bolshevik factions)

Russian Republic

Ukrainian People's Republic


German Empire

Austria-Hungary

Defeat
1918 Finnish Civil War Finland Defeat
  • Victory of the White Guard in Finland; expulsion of Bolshevik forces and Finnish independence
1918–1929 Heimosodat Finland, Karelia, Estonia and Northern Russia

(Viena expedition and Petsamo expeditions)

United Kingdom (Estonian War of Independence) Stalemate
1918–1920 Armenian–Azerbaijani war Caucasus Russian SFSR
Ottoman Empire Turkish revolutionaries
First Republic of Armenia Armenia
Stalemate
1918 German Caucasus expedition Caucasus Russian SFSRBaku Commune
Centrocaspian Dictatorship

 United Kingdom

German Empire
Ottoman Empire
Inconclussive due to end of Caucasus campaign.
1918–1919 Sochi conflict Georgia–Russia border Georgia (country) Georgia Indecisive
1918–1919 German revolution of 1918–1919 Germany and Eastern Europe Soviet Republics [Communists]:

Supported by:


Revolutionaries [Socialdemocrats]:

  • SPD (until 9 Nov. 1918)
  • USPD (from 9 Nov. 1918)
  • Spartacus League