History of the Internet in Russia
The 1990s were a transformative period for Russia, marked by the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the birth of a new political and economic landscape. Amidst this upheaval, a technological revolution was quietly taking place: the emergence of the Russian internet, or "Runet." What began as a tool for scientists and academics quickly evolved into a commercial and social phenomenon, laying the groundwork for the vibrant digital ecosystem that exists today. While attempts to develop computer networks were made since the 1970s, the real emergence of the network became possible only in the latest 1980s. Here is the list of the most prominent events on this way.
Key Players
Key events
- 1989: Demos cooperative has been created, a team of
programmers
primarily from the Kurchatov
Institute of Atomic Energy (KIAE), who specialized in UNIX-like operating systems.
Sovam Teleport has been established as a X.25 data transport provider. - 1990: In the spring, a dedicated team was formed within Demos with the goal of
creating a
computer network. On August 1st, the network officially began operating, named
"Relcom." The
first nodes were at the Kurchatov Institute in Moscow and an institute in Leningrad.
On August 28th, the team established hourly calls using UUCP protocol with the University of Helsinki, marking the USSR's entry into the global network.
On September 19th, the RELCOM-DEMOS team registered the .SU top-level domain.
In October the first Russian node of FidoNet, a popular global network of bulletin board systems (BBSes), is established in Novosibirsk. For many early users, FidoNet was the primary gateway to online communication before full internet access became widespread. - 1991: In the beginning of the year two first USENET conferences in the USSR are
configured.
The first IP link established between Demos and KIAE.
From the spring Demos/Relcom actively connects commercial clients. By the August Relcom has more than 3000 clients from all around the USSR. - 1992: In the spring first inductrial IP channels had been established in
Moscow. On
June
15th, the Joint-Stock Company "Relcom" was formally established,
officially beginning its
commercial operations and offering its services to the public.
By the end of the year new regional IP channels and hubs had been established.
Independently Sovam Teleport launches UUCP mail and terminal access to internet resources using its X.25 satellite channels. - 1993: In March KIAE/Relocm established the first international IP channel with
the
route Moscow
- Tallin - Helsinki. Simultaneously, Sovam Teleport established IP link to the USA via X.25
satellite channel.
In July RFC 1489. Registration of a Cyrillic Character Set. KOI-8R had been accepted.
In August Demos launches its own international IP link using a satellite channle. - 1994: On February 28 Sovam Telecom announces launching of the first in Russia
segment web site
http://www.sovam.com.
On April 7 the domain zone .ru has been registered.
In June Sovam Teleport launches the first dedicated client IP link.
In June-July Sovam Teleport launches open testing for DialUp IP server.
In July Ministry of Science RF in collaboration with Soros foundation starts building internet magistral between science organisation in Moscow. The magistral had been finished by the end of 1995. - 1996: The first major Russian search engine, Rambler, is launched by a team of scientists from Pushchino. It quickly becomes a leading portal for the Runet.
- 1997 (September 23): The Yandex search engine (Yandex.ru) is officially launched. Its key innovation was a deep understanding of Russian language morphology, which allowed for more relevant search results.
- 1998: Russia-On-Line (ROL), a service developed by Sovam Teleport, becomes one of the most popular dial-up services, offering a user-friendly portal similar to America Online (AOL).
After the initial burst of activity in the early 1990s, the Russian internet landscape continued to evolve rapidly. The establishment of commercial ISPs, the growth of web portals, and the increasing availability of internet access contributed to the Runet's expansion. By the late 1990s, Russia had a burgeoning online community, with thousands of users engaging in various digital activities, from email and forums to early e-commerce.