The USSR had just collapsed and Russia was turning the page, entering its modern historical era. Many changes, increasing openness to the rest of the world and a hope for new, better life.
The Federal Treaty, signed in Moscow in 1992, formed the new country, the Russian Federation, which included 89 federal subjects (there are now 85 subjects, due to some uniting and reorganizing).
Sergei Guneev/Sputnik
Boris Yeltsin and George H. W. Bush meeting to sign documents ending the Cold War.
A folk leader - Yelstin meeting people up close and casually was in stark contrast to the Soviet leaders who always remained on their high tribunes.
Yury Abramochkin/Sputnik
Russia's first president Boris Yeltsin made tennis an incredibly popular sport.
Dmitry Donskoi/Yeltsin Center
After finishing his work as the first (and only) president of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev headed the non-profit Gorbachev Foundation focused with researching the history of Perestroika.
Igor Mikhalev/Sputnik
Markets and these bags were true icons of the 1990s.
The latest trends.
Vladimir Vyatkin/Sputnik
The Coca-Cola era had also arrived.
Boris Kavashkin/TASS
The country faced freedom: of speech, policy and, of course, art. Pictured below is a performance by Andrei Bartenev in front of the Kremlin.
Sixty-seven-year-old ballet star Maya Plisetskaya performing the Dying Swan dance on the Red Square.
Vladimir Vyatkin/Sputnik
The bathing of horses in Krasnodar.
Alexei Boitsov/Sputnik
An artist creating a handicraft with Fedoskino folk pattern.
Andrei Solomonov/Sputnik
Matryoshka dolls pictured in front of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.
Yury Somov/Sputnik
After many years of being in exile during Soviet times, the Russian Orthodox Church saw a true resurrection. Pictured is Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II speaking on the occasion of arrival of the Inextinguishable Lamp pilgrim mission from Jerusalem to Moscow via Europe.
Yuriy Kaver/Sputnik
Beach fashion reached new levels.
Vladimir Fedorenko/Sputnik
Traffic on Moscow's Mayakovsky Square.
Alexei Fedoseev/Sputnik
Furs on a catwalk.
Vladimir Vyatkin/Sputnik
The handover of a helicopter made by the U.S. Bell Helicopter Textron company to Moscow police on Manege Square.
Vitaly Savelyev/Sputnik
A huge musical concert was held right on Red Square.
Galina Kmit/Sputnik
Singer Valery Leontiev, representative of the new wave of celebrities (in their brand new stage attire), performing.
Yury Abramochkin/Sputnik
Celebrating Navy Day in St. Petersburg, that recently got back its historical title, renamed from Leningrad.
Rudolf Kucherov/Sputnik
International runners participating in the annual Moscow Marathon.
Vladimir Fedorenko/Sputnik
Mum and her son during the celebration of the anniversary of the 1812 War against Napoleonic France.
Vladimir Fedorevnko/Sputnik
The trial of Andrei Chikatilo, one of the most notorious serial killers in the USSR.
Vladimir Vyatkin/Sputnik
Employes of the Moscow Kremlin museums preparing some Romanov jewelry held in the Diamond Fund collection for a photo.
Yury Somov/Sputnik
One of the first supermarkets and the first venue of the Danone dairy company opened in central Moscow. People lined up for foreign yogurts.
Alexei Boitsov/Sputnik
Kids playing in Kaluga Region.
Sergei Subbotin/Sputnik
The Intercession Church on the Nerl river in Vladimir Region, one of Russia's most beautiful small churches, resumed service again.
Yuriy Kaver/Sputnik
Tatar girls laughing.
Vladimir Rodionov/Sputnik
Chechen men debating.
Yury Zaritovsky/Sputnik
An Evenki girl from Yakutia in a traditional costume.
Sergei Subbotin/Sputnik
Processing salmon caviar at the Yuzhno-Kurilsky fish-processing factory.
Alexander Lyskin/Sputnik
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