Episode list

The young General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev is trying to reform the decrepit regime, inadvertently launching a chain reaction of events that the Soviet government quickly becomes unable to control. A new leader is born from the turmoil of perestroika: Boris Yeltsin becomes the spearhead of democratic forces, and Gorbachev soon begins perceiving him as a threat.

Determined to quell the democratic reforms, Soviet hardliners, led by the director of the KGB, place Mikhail Gorbachev under house arrest and orchestrate a coup d'état. However, citizens of the emerging new Russia, spearheaded by Boris Yeltsin, stop the plotters from seizing power. The Soviet regime is now doomed.

The defeat of the coup launches a chain reaction: republics leave the USSR one after another, and soon the Soviet Union, which seemed unbreakable just a year ago, officially ceases to exist. Boris Yeltsin and his comrades have only a few months to decide which way path the new Russia will take.

To avoid the looming economic disaster in Russia, President Boris Yeltsin appoints a cabinet of "Young Reformers" and launches radical reforms, which face significant public opposition. The President implements necessary but painful measures, sacrificing his popularity for the sake of the country's economic stability.

Boris Yeltsin faces an unexpected opponent: the Russian parliament, which hinders his reforms and attempts to seize power. In the autumn of 1993, the political crisis escalates into a civil war on the streets of Moscow, as the president and parliament clash violently for control of the country's future.

At the end of 1994, a war begins in Russia: Moscow sends federal troops into Chechnya, which had declared independence. The authorities expect a quick victory but instead find themselves in a prolonged, bloody conflict. Even those who had supported Yeltsin since the beginning of the perestroika turn away from him.

Tired of politics, ill, and having lost much of his popularity, Boris Yeltsin makes the decision to run for a second term as President of Russia. Nearly everyone around him believes that he will inevitably lose to the Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov. However, against all odds, Yeltsin manages to unite the elites and the general public behind his candidacy, ultimately securing a victory in the election.

After recovering from heart surgery, Boris Yeltsin initiates a new wave of economic reforms. However, the reformist government soon clashes with powerful oligarchs, leading to a severe economic crisis that engulfs the country. Faced with mounting challenges, Yeltsin is forced to make concessions and reach a compromise with the communist opposition to navigate the turbulent political and economic landscape of Russia.

Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov's popularity surges as he successfully navigates the aftermath of the crisis and takes a firm stance against NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia. However, amid an unfolding corruption scandal allegedly involving President Yeltsin's inner circle, known as the "family," Yeltsin grows wary of Primakov's increasing ambition. Just months later, the president dismisses the prime minister, perceiving him as a potential threat to his power.

After an extensive search, Yeltsin chooses Vladimir Putin, the former director of the FSB, as his successor. Initially, this decision raises eyebrows and appears to be an odd choice to many. However, within a matter of months, Putin's popularity skyrockets, making him the most well-liked politician in the country. Convinced that his gamble has paid off, Yeltsin, assured of his strategic move's success, proceeds to make the most fateful and consequential political decision of his entire career.