Unit 3: Paper 1 — Political and Economic Transitions
Topic 3.2: The Russian Federation (1985–1999) Questions
Practice 20 exam-style questions for IB History (2028) Topic 3.2. Review the question stems below, then unlock the full Question Bank to access markschemes, model answers, and AI grading.
1Examine12 marks
2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.3 - Q3
Examine how the perspectives in all the sources can be used to answer the inquiry question.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.3 - Q4
Which group of Soviet officials attempted to seize power in August 1991 while Gorbachev was on holiday?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.2 - Q8
What was the immediate effect on ordinary Russians of price liberalization in January 1992?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.1 - Q3
Which event is generally seen as the most symbolic single moment of communism's collapse in Eastern Europe in 1989?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.1 - Q4
What was the old Soviet policy, ended by Gorbachev in 1989, of using military force to keep Eastern European states communist?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.3 - Q5
What action did Yeltsin take in September 1993 that triggered the constitutional crisis?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.3 - Q2
Analyse how the context (origin, purpose, time and place) of Source C influences how it can be used to answer the inquiry question.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.3 - Q6
Approximately how much did prices rise in Russia during 1992, the year shock therapy began?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.1 - Q8
Examine how the perspectives in all the sources can be used to answer the inquiry question.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.2 - Q5
What happened as a direct result of the failed August 1991 coup?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.3 - Q8
Which group became known as 'oligarchs' during Russia's economic transition of the 1990s?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.1 - Q1
Which Soviet leader launched the policies of glasnost and perestroika after becoming General Secretary in March 1985?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.2 - Q3
Examine how the perspectives in all the sources can be used to answer the inquiry question.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.1 - Q2
What did the policy of perestroika, introduced from 1987, mainly attempt to reform?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.2 - Q7
What triggered Yeltsin's decision to order the army to shell the parliament building on 4 October 1993?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.1 - Q5
Which group of Party officials enjoyed privileged access to better housing, shops and jobs in the rigid one-party Soviet system?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.3 - Q7
What agreement ended the First Chechen War in August 1996?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.2 - Q6
At Belavezha on 8 December 1991, Yeltsin met the leaders of which two other republics to declare the USSR no longer existed?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.2 - Q4
Which two reforms did Gorbachev introduce after coming to power in 1985?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 3.2.3 - Q1
Explain how the content of Source A and Source B can be used to answer the inquiry question.
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