2012 in Russia

• President of Russia – Dmitry Medvedev (United Russia) (until 7 May), Vladimir Putin (United Russia) (from 7 May) • Prime Minister of Russia – Vladimir Putin (United Russia) (until 7 May), Viktor Zubkov (7-8 May, acting), Dmitry Medvedev (United Russia) (from 8 May) == Events ==

January • January 5 – Russia loses to Sweden 1–0 in overtime in the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship. • January 9 – Insurgency in the North Caucasus: Clashes occur between the Russian forces and Islamist militants in the Vedensky District, Chechnya, with reportedly 8 killed and 16 wounded. • January 15 – Russia's unmanned Fobos-Grunt space probe re-enters the Earth's atmosphere after a failed mission to the Martian moon Phobos. The 13-ton spacecraft disintegrates over the southern Pacific Ocean at approximately 16:45 UTC. China's first Mars probe, Yinghuo-1, which was launched together with Fobos-Grunt, is also destroyed. • January 27 – Insurgency in the North Caucasus: 13 people are killed in three separate clashes between the Russian forces and Islamist militants in the Russian republics of Ingushetia, Dagestan, and Kabardino-Balkariya. February • February 13–17 – 2012 Nozhay-Yurtovsky District clashes. • February 27 – The 2012 Astrakhan gas explosion occurs March • March 4 – The 2012 Presidential election is held. • March 20–24 – The 2012 Russian Artistic Gymnastics Championships took place April • April 2 – UTair Flight 120 crashed • April 26–29 – The 2012 European Judo Championships took place May • May 3 – The 2012 Makhachkala attack occurs • May 7 – Putin was inaugurated as President • May 8 – Medvedev appointed as Prime Minister and later he became leader of the United Russia Party • May 21 – new cabinet was formed. June • June 3–4 – The European Union-Russia Summit in Saint Petersburg. • June - Moscow courts enacted a hundred-year ban on gay pride parades. July • July – The Russian foreign agent law bill is introduced by legislators from the governing United Russia party. • July 20 – The Russian foreign agent law is signed into law by President Vladimir Putin. The law requires non-profit organizations that receive foreign donations and engage in "political activity" to register and declare themselves as foreign agents • Stavropol region has a ban on hijabs in schools. the first of its kind imposed by a region in the Russian federation. The ruling was upheld by Russia's Supreme Court in July 2013. August • August 22 – Russia became the 156th member of the World Trade Organization. October • October – The Donguz explosion occurs • October 14 – A second round of regional elections were held November • November 4 – National unity day • November 7 – The 2012 Moscow shooting occurs December • December 6–9 – The 2012–13 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final took place • December 13–16 – The 2012 Channel One Cup took place • December 25–28 – The 2013 Russian Figure Skating Championships took place • December 29 – Red Wings Airlines Flight 9268 crashed at Moscow Vnukovo Airport == Notable deaths ==

January • January 2 – Anatoly Kolesov, 73, wrestler, Olympic gold medalist (1964), after long illness. (born 1938) • January 2 – Ivan Calin, 76, Moldovan politician, Acting President of the Moldovan Parliament (2009). • January 3 – Stepan Oshchepkov, 77, canoeist, Olympic gold medalist (1964). (born 1934) • January 5 – Alexander Sizonenko, 52, Russian basketball player, world's tallest person (1991). • January 8 – Dmitry Machinsky, 74, Russian archaeologist. • January 9 – Pyotr Vasilevsky, 55, Belarusian football player and coach. • January 14 – Zelemkhan Zangiyev, 37, Russian footballer. • January 15 – Eduard Ivanov, 73, Soviet ice hockey player, World and Olympic champion. • January 16 – Valentin Rusantsov, 72, Primate of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church (1996–2012). • January 25 – Alexander Zhitinsky, 71, Russian writer. • January 27 – Dzhamaleim Mutaliyev, 35, Russian rebel leader, shot. February • February 6 – Vitaly Gorelik, 44, Russian mountaineer, heart attack. • February 11 – Sergey Kolosov, 90, Russian film director, People's Artist of the USSR. • February 17 – Tatyana Golikova, 66, Russian ballerina (Bolshoi Ballet). • February 20 – • Asar Eppel, 77, Russian translator, stroke. • Vitaly Vorotnikov, 86, Soviet politician, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR (1988–1990). • February 22 – Lyudmila Kasatkina, 86, Russian actress, People's Artist of the USSR. March • March 21 – Marina Salye, Russian geologist and politician. • March 27 – Anatoly Kikin, Soviet and Russian footballer and coach. • March 27 – Alim Zankishiev, Russian insurgent, leader in the Caucasus Emirate. • March 28 – Eduard Steinberg, 76, Russian painter. • March 28 – Sergey Solnechnikov, Russian military officer. • March 30 – Viktor Kosichkin, Russian Olympic speed skating gold and silver medalist. • March 30 – Leonid Shebarshin, Russian KGB interim Chairman. June • June 4 – Eduard Khil, 77, Russian baritone singer. == See also ==