1990 - Olga Galchenko, Russian juggler is born

1952 - Helmuts Balderis, Latvian hockey player is born

1930 - Oleg Popov, Russian clown is born

1913 - The Balkan States sign an armistice at Bucarest.

1655 - Russo-Polish War (1654-1667): Russian army enters the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Vilnius, which it would hold for six years.

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1984 - Paul Felix Schmidt, Estonian–German chess player dies (b. 1916)

1950 - Gennidy Nikonov, Russian weapons inventor is born

1926 - Aaron Klug, Lithuanian-born chemist, Nobel Prize Laureate is born

1920 - The Latvia-Bolshevist Russia peace treaty, which relinquished Russia’s authority and pretenses to Latvia, is signed.

1886 - Lydia Koidula, Estonian poet dies (b. 1843)

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1904 - Tsarevich Alexei of Russia s born (d. 1918)

1889 - Vladimir Zworykin, Russian physicist is born(d. 1982)

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1983 - Alexei Kaigorodov, Russian hockey player is born

1957 - Nellie Kim, Russian gymnast is born

1938 - Nikolai Krylenko, Russian/Soviet jurist and politician dies (b. 1885)

1876 - Maria Ouspenskaya, Russian-born actress (d. 1949)

1865 - Alexander Glazunov, Russian composer is born (d. 1936)

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1961 - Alexander Kurlovitch, Soviet weightlifter is born

1955 - Nikolay Zimyatov, Russian cross-country skier is born

1942 - World War II: USSR leader Joseph Stalin issues Order No. 227 in response to alarming German advances into Russia. Under the order all those who retreat or otherwise leave their positions without orders to do so will be immediately killed.

1904 - Pavel Alekseyevich Cherenkov, Russian physicist, Nobel laureate is born (d. 1990)

1863 - Hussein Khan Nakhichevanski, Russian general is born (d. 1919)

1493 - Great fire in Moscow.

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2002 - Ukraine airshow disaster: A Sukhoi Su-27 fighter crashes during an air show at Lviv, Ukraine killing 85 and injuring more than 100 others, the largest air show disaster in history

1999 - Aleksandr Danilovich Aleksandrov, Russian mathematician dies (b. 1912)

1990 - The Supreme Soviet of the Belarusian Soviet Republic declares independence of Belarus from the Soviet Union. Until 1996 the day was celebrated as the Independence Day of Belarus. After a referendum held that year the celebration of Independence day was transferred to June 3

1977 - Ipatiev House at Ekaterinburg, Russia is destroyed

1903 - Nikolai Cherkasov, Russian actor is born (d. 1966)

1889 - Vera Karalli, Russian ballerina and actress is born (d. 1972)

1853 - Vladimir Korolenko, Russian writer is born (d. 1921)

1841 - Mikhail Lermontov, Russian author dies (b. 1814)

1784 - Denis Davydov, Russian general and poet is born (d. 1839)

1720 - The second important victory of the Russian Navy - the Battle of Grengam

1714 - The first important victory of the Russian Navy - the Battle of Gangut

In ancient Latvia - Septinu Guletaju Diena is observed. According to legend,  Ephesians from Asia Minor, walled up by Roman Emperor Decius in a cave for not renouncing their Christain faith in 250 CE. When found by masons in the year 479, the Ephesians had thought they were asleep for only one night, instead of 229 years that had actually elapsed. Once awake, Malchus made his way into town to buy bread for the others, rubbing the sleep of more than two centuries from his eyes. He was amazed to see Christian crosses placed on all the buildings. This was in stark contrast to the earlier times when they had been persecuted. The bakers were amazed at the coins he offered, and thought that the young man had found treasure. Latvians believed that if it rains on this feast day, there will be seven weeks and seven days of rain.

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1994 - Russian President Boris Yeltsin agrees to withdraw Russian troops from Estonia.

1944 - World War II: Soviet army enters Lviv, major city of western Ukraine, liberating it from the Nazis. Only 300 Jewish survivors left, out of 160.000 Jews in Lviv prior to Nazi occupation

1880 - Volodymyr Vynnychenko, Ukrainian statesman is born (d. 1951)

1874 - Serge Koussevitsky, Russian conductor is born(d. 1951)

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1984 - Salyut 7 Cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to perform a space walk

1980 - Vladimir Vysotsky, Russian poet, singer, and actor dies (b. 1938)

1973 - Soviet Mars 5 space probe launched

1907 - Varlam Shalamov, Russian writer is born (d. 1982)

1934 - Nestor Makhno, Ukrainian anarchist dies (b. 1889)

1826 - Kondraty Fyodorovich Ryleyev, Russian poet and revolutionary dies (b. 1795)

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1935 - The world’s first children’s railway opens in Tbilisi, USSR

1910 - Arkhip Kuindzhi, Russian painter dies (b. 1841)

1757 - Vladimir Borovikovsky, Russian painter is born (d. 1825)

In ancient Latvia - Jekaupa Diena was observed at the beginning of the harvest season. Townsfolk held feasts from their freshly harvested grain and gave neighbors gifts of bread. Weddings were considered lucky if held on this day. A bright sun was also considered lucky; a cloudy day was a portent of snow; rain caused a low harvest yield. Unless it was a new moon, old seeds had to be sown. It was unlucky to walk through cabbage fields; if the cabbage heads hadn’t appeared yet, they would not. Hay could not be brought into a barn, or risk the wrath of Perkons. Alternative names include Jekaba Diena.

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1940 - US Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles`s declaration on the US non-recognition policy of the Soviet annexation and incorporation of three Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

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