History of Technology in Russia: Navigating a Shifting Terrain

This essay discusses the history of technology in Russia, focusing on several major developments. Its twofold aim is to provide insights into the current state of research, with a brief reference to the technological history that evolved during the Soviet and post-Soviet periods, and to offer an overview of recent Russian-language publications for an international readership. It focuses on enviro-tech as a prominent research direction in Russia that highlights the ongoing changes in institutional landscapes and thematic priorities. The essay demonstrates that the history of technology in Russia has yet to develop into a fully coherent field of research or education. Research on past technologies has evolved along two still-coexisting paths: a primarily engineering-focused history rooted in traditions of the Soviet period and a more recent interdisciplinary approach situated at the intersection of environmental history, the history of science, and related fields.