Apart from the disintegration of the Russian Empire and the collapse of the USSR, the most famous (and largest) territorial loss of Russia is Alaska. But our country also lost other territories. These losses are rarely remembered today.
South coast of the Caspian Sea (1723-1732)
Having cut through the "window to Europe" as a result of the victory over the Swedes, Peter I began to cut the window to India. For this purpose, he undertook in 1722-1723. campaigns in Persia, torn apart by civil strife. As a result of these campaigns, the entire western and southern coast of the Caspian Sea was under Russian rule.
But Transcaucasia is not the Baltics. It turned out to be much easier to conquer these territories than the Baltic possessions of Sweden, but to retain it was more difficult. Due to epidemics and constant attacks of the mountaineers, the Russian troops were reduced by half.
Russia, exhausted by the wars and reforms of Peter, could not hold on to such a costly acquisition, and in 1732 these lands were returned to Persia.
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East Prussia (1758-1762)
Following the results of the Second World War, part of East Prussia with Königsberg went to the USSR - now it is Kaliningrad with the region of the same name. But once these lands were already a subject of Russia.
During the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), Russian troops in 1758 occupied Konigsberg and all of East Prussia. By the decree of Empress Elizabeth, the region was transformed into the Russian governorship-general, and the Prussian population was sworn into Russian citizenship. The famous German philosopher Kant also became a Russian subject. A letter has survived in which Immanuel Kant, a loyal subject of the Russian crown, asks Empress Elizabeth Petrovna for the post of ordinary professor.
The sudden death of Elizaveta Petrovna (1761) changed everything. The Russian throne was occupied by Peter III, known for his sympathies for Prussia and King Frederick. He returned to Prussia all the Russian conquests in this war and turned his weapons against his former allies. Catherine II, who overthrew Peter III, who also sympathized with Frederick, confirmed the peace and, in particular, the return of East Prussia.
Mediterranean: Malta (1798-1800) and the Ionian Islands (1800-1807)
In 1798, Napoleon, on his way to Egypt, defeated Malta, which was owned by the Knights of the Hospitaller Order, founded during the Crusades. Recovering after the pogrom, the knights elected the Russian Emperor Paul I as Grand Master of the Order of Malta. The emblem of the Order was included in the State Emblem of Russia. This, perhaps, limited the visible signs that the island is under Russian rule. In 1800 the British captured Malta.
Unlike the formal possession of Malta, Russia's power over the Ionian Islands off the coast of Greece was more real.
In 1800, a Russian-Turkish squadron under the command of the famous naval commander Ushakov captured the island of Corfu, heavily fortified by the French. The Republic of the Seven Islands was established, formally as a Turkish protectorate, but in fact, under Russian rule. According to the Peace of Tilsit (1807), Emperor Alexander I secretly ceded the islands to Napoleon.
Romania (1807-1812, 1828-1834)
The first time Romania, or rather then two separate principalities - Moldavia and Wallachia - came under Russian rule in 1807, during the next Russian-Turkish war (1806-1812). The population of the principalities was sworn in allegiance to the Russian emperor, and direct Russian rule was introduced throughout the territory. But the invasion of Napoleon in 1812 forced Russia to conclude an early peace with Turkey, instead of two principalities, content with only the eastern part of the principality of Moldavia (Bessarabia, present-day Moldova).
The second time Russia established its power in the principalities during the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-29. At the end of the war, the Russian troops did not leave, the Russian administration continued to govern the principalities. Moreover, Nicholas I, who suppressed any sprouts of freedom inside Russia, gives his new territories a Constitution! True, it was called "organic regulations", since for Nicholas I the word "constitution" was too seditious.
Russia would willingly turn Moldova and Wallachia, which it actually owned, into its de jure possessions, but England, France and Austria intervened in the matter. As a result, in 1834 the Russian army was withdrawn from the principalities. Russia finally lost its influence in the principalities after the defeat in the Crimean War.
Kars (1877-1918)
In 1877, during the Russian-Turkish war (1877-1878), Kars was taken by Russian troops. According to the peace treaty, Kars, together with Batumi, went to Russia.
The Kara region began to be actively populated by Russian settlers. Kars was built up according to a plan developed by Russian architects. Even now, Kars with its strictly parallel and perpendicular streets, typically Russian houses, erected in the end. XIX - early. XX centuries, in sharp contrast with the chaotic development of other Turkish cities. But it is very reminiscent of old Russian cities.
After the revolution, the Bolsheviks gave the Kara region to Turkey.
Manchuria (1896-1920)
In 1896, Russia received from China the right to build a railway through Manchuria to connect Siberia with Vladivostok - the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER). The Russians had the right to lease a narrow area on both sides of the CER line. However, in fact, the construction of the road led to the transformation of Manchuria into a territory dependent on Russia, with the Russian administration, army, police and courts. Russian settlers flooded there. The Russian government began to consider a project to incorporate Manchuria into the empire called Zheltorosiya.
As a result of Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, the southern part of Manchuria fell into the sphere of Japanese influence. After the revolution, Russian influence in Manchuria began to wane. Finally, in 1920, Chinese troops occupied Russian facilities, including Harbin and the Chinese Eastern Railway, finally closing the Zheltorosiya project.
Soviet Port Arthur (1945-1955)
Thanks to the heroic defense of Port Arthur, many people know that this city belonged to the Russian Empire before the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War. But less known is the fact that at one time Port Arthur was part of the USSR.
After the defeat of the Japanese Kwantung Army in 1945, Port Arthur, under a treaty with China, was transferred to the Soviet Union for a period of 30 years as a naval base. Later, the USSR and the PRC agreed to return the city in 1952. At the request of the Chinese side, due to the difficult international situation (Korean War), the Soviet armed forces stayed in Port Arthur until 1955.
Andrey Dubrovsky