A timeline of Russia-North Korea relations

The North Korean nuclear threat, explained

What would happen if North Korea gets a working ICBM Watch this six-minute video by Vox for an explanation of the North Korean nuclear threat. The Soviet Union first gave nuclear technology to North Korea in the 1950s, when they helped their ally...

Chart decades of US–Russia nuclear diplomacy

Over the Cold War and into the 21st century, US and Soviet/Russian leaders repeatedly agreed to cap arsenals, curb missile deployment, and share ongoing inspections—creating decades of transparency. But in recent years, strained tensions have led to the expiration of arms treaties.

Mapping Russia's historical borders

This interactive map illustrates how the country’s borders have changed over the centuries, dating all the way back to the year 862, when the Varangian king Rurik assumed leadership of Ancient Rus. Scroll down to see how Russia vastly expanded its territory in the 16th and 17th centuries, and skip to 1991 to see which countries gained independence after the fall of the USSR.

40 maps that explain North Korea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is one of the most misunderstood countries in the world. Use these maps and charts, compiled by Vox, for context and clarity on North Korea. North Korea has a large military and an advanced nuclear...

A backgrounder on North Korea’s power structure

North Korea has been ruled by three generations of the Kim family since 1948, one of the world’s longest-running dynastic dictatorships, where absolute authority flows from the Supreme Leader. Read the Council on Foreign Relations' backgrounder to understand the country’s structure of power.

An interactive visualization tracking 25 years of US-North Korea nuclear negotiations

From 1990 to 2017, the United States and North Korea engaged in a complex series of bilateral and multilateral negotiations. This interactive page, compiled by CSIS Beyond Parallel, displays a record of provocations and negotiations between the two...

Is North Korea fighting a food crisis?

North Korea is facing a food crisis placing it on the brink of famine. Read (or watch) Al Jazeera’s detailed take on the food crisis unfolding in North Korea. Since the 1950s, the country has relied on a collective agriculture system. But...

The US and South Korea have a robust, if delicate, alliance

The deep ties between South Korea and the United States go back decades, but the relationship hasn’t always been frictionless. When two off-duty American servicemen accidentally killed two South Korean middle-school girls in 2002, it set off anti-American protests that led South Korea to seek a more balanced relationship. The Council on Foreign Relations traces key moments in the two countries’ seven-decade history.

What missiles does North Korea have?

In recent years, North Korea has tested a variety of ballistic and cruise missiles as well as both submarine-launched missiles and hypersonic missiles, which can fly at low altitude (to escape radar detection) and at several times the speed of sound. Dive into this visualization by the BBC to break down what missiles North Korea currently has.

See a timeline of the major moments in Soviet history

Beginning with Lenin’s return to Russia from Germany in 1917 and ending with Gorbachev’s resignation on December 25, 1991, this timeline outlines the significant domestic and foreign policy developments that led to the rise and fall of the Soviet Union.

See a timeline of the space race

This interactive timeline chronicles the space race from its Cold War origins to the moon landing, highlighting key figures, pivotal moments, and rapid technological advancements. It combines archival photos, video, and links to related material.

Some experts argue that Russia was never effectively integrated into the rules-based order after 1991

This piece argues that Russia's difficult relationship with the IMF and World Bank in the 1990s—characterized by economic shocks and perceived Western condescension—helped shape Moscow's later hostility toward the liberal order.

A look inside North Korea through photographs

What does life look like inside North Korea? Get a behind-the-scenes peek through 38 photos in the Atlantic.

A summary of human rights violations in North Korea

North Korea severely restricts the rights of its citizens. Read Amnesty International’s summary of the current state of human rights in North Korea. Malnutrition was widespread in North Korea in 2022—more than 40% of the population required...

The rise of Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin's rise has been unprecedented. Over the years his actions have taken him from being a spy in East Germany to president of Russia. Learn more about his rise to power and the means by which he achieved it in this brief yet thorough nine-minute video.

Imagining the reunification of the Koreas

The idea of reunifying North and South Korea has been a geopolitical dream for years, though one that feels perpetually out of reach. That hasn’t kept some from imagining it, though. Reddit user Aofen created a set of maps that postulate what effect a hypothetical reunification would have on population numbers, birth rates, median income, political affiliation, and more.

Breaking down Europe's reliance on Russian energy (preinvasion)

One side effect of the Russian-Ukraine conflict is how it underscored European dependence on Russian natural gas and oil. This article, published days before the Russian attacks, outlines and illustrated how much gas and oil flows from Russia to Europe and the potential for either side to use sanctions to get what they want.

Relationships between countries have become more peaceful since the rules-based order was established

Our World in Data monitors bilateral relationships on a spectrum from open rivalry to "positive peace"—deep cooperation and mutual protection. In 1945, no countries had highly cooperative security relationships. Today, nearly a fifth do.

NATO condemned Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine

While Ukraine is not a member, NATO responded forcefully to the Russian invasion of the country in 2022. This page from the NATO website offers answers to frequently asked questions about NATO’s response to the invasion, specifically on how NATO is aiding Ukraine.

The Middle East's cold war, explained

The Middle East is one of the most complex regions in the world, including a complicated web of conflicts and actors. Two countries, Saudi Arabia and Iran, have torn apart the region by supporting opposing sides in other countries and indirectly...

The United States has had a tumultuous relationship with Cuba since its 1959 revolution, highlighted by a nuclear crisis and a decades-long trade embargo.

Stay up to date with the latest on the Russia-Ukraine war with BBC's 'Ukrainecast'

BBC's "Ukrainecast" offers ongoing coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war, featuring on-the-ground reporting, expert analysis, and personal stories from Ukrainians living through the conflict.

The deepest human-made hole on Earth is in Russia’s Arctic North

Driven by Cold War competition, the Kola Superdeep borehole was a project in the 1970s to uncover the composition of the Earth by boring underground. The mission managed to go 7.6 miles into Earth’s crust, the deepest human-made hole on Earth.

The Kennan Telegram shaped early US Cold War strategy

In 1946, diplomat George Kennan sent a long telegram from Moscow warning that the Soviet Union was inherently expansionist. His analysis laid the groundwork for the US policy of containment that defined the early Cold War.

The Nazis and Soviets agreed to a non‑aggression pact in 1939

On August 23, 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact—a public commitment to not attack each other combined with a secret agreement dividing Eastern Europe into spheres of influence. This pact enabled Germany to invade Poland unopposed from the east and delayed conflict with the USSR until June 1941.

The history of China: a timeline

How long has China existed, and how and when did it evolve into its form? Explore the journey of China from empire to republic (to a republic, again) in this timeline. Archaeological evidence suggests the earliest Chinese dynasty formed at about...

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is the largest ground war in Europe since World War II in casualties, forces mobilized, and displacement of civilians.

Before humans, the Soviet Union and the United States sent animals—including apes, dogs, and cats—to space during the Space Race.

In 2026, Finland was named the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year based on its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among other factors.

See how each of the more than two million known species relates to each other—and to common ancestors—in this zoomable tree of life.

During the French Revolution, a botanist's letter asking about "dear Rhus" (poison ivy) was intercepted, leading authorities to suspect he was conspiring with the Russians.

See the evolution of Ebola vaccine and treatment development.

See the most iconic photos from four decades of LIFE magazine

'Shogun,' a 1980s TV series, helped popularize sushi in the US by stimulating an American interest in Japanese culture.

Neutron stars, the remains of some massive stars after they explode in a supernova, are the densest directly observable objects in the universe.

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

Researchers believe the brain consolidates memories, processes emotions, and plans for the future during dream states

Netflix profits when you're not watching, and its movies are designed that way—read a detail-rich critical essay exposing lesser-known Netflix takes

Learn more about the history of fireworks, which dates back to an accidental invention during an alchemist's quest for information about immortality.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps is independent of Iran's regular army and is one of the most powerful and influential military-political organizations in the Middle East.

While El Niño moves warm Pacific Ocean waters east along the equator, La Niña moves them west, shifting where rainfall will become more common for months.

The Great Salt Lake's distinct dual coloration results from high-salinity organisms that only live in the northern portion and produce a purple protein.

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

This site reaches millions of visitors who are tired of AI chatbots and seeking human connection. Pretend to be an AI chatbot and ask questions, provide answers, and draw for people in real time.

About 2,000 US babies are born annually without some portion of their limbs, potentially leading to a lifetime of pricey prosthetics.

In 2018, 26-year-old missionary John Allen Chau was killed by tribesmen after attempting to reach and evangelize on India's isolated North Sentinel Island

Some renewable energy sources may weaken the resiliency of electric grids by removing outage buffers provided by coal- and natural gas-fired plants, which provide the system with more time to find a new power source if a plant goes down.

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.