A major new history series begins this week which traces the development of Russia over a period of 1,000 years. The first five weeks take the listener from the beginning of the Russian state in 862 A.D. up to the cataclysmic revolution of 1917. Martin Sixsmith, who writes and presents the series, was the BBC's Moscow Correspondent in 1991. The series begins with a vivid recording of his report on the events that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

As he says: 'I remember with absolute clarity my conviction that the dissolution of the Communist Party after seventy years in power, meant the monster of autocracy was dead in Russia, that centuries of repression would be thrown off and replaced with freedom and democracy. But I was wrong.

The country is stable and relatively prosperous now, but democracy and freedom again take second place to the demands of the state: the spectre of autocracy is again haunting Russia. Back in 1991, in the grip of Moscow's euphoria, I'd forgotten the lesson of history - that in Russia things change ... only to remain the same. Attempts at reform, followed by a return to autocracy, had happened so often in Russia's past that it was very unlikely things would be different this time. '

In this first programme, Martin travels to the northern city of Novgorod. It was there that, ancient history has it, the warring Slav tribes invited Rurik to come and bring order. He was the first iron fist, and he gave Rus-sia its name. But, as Martin Sixsmith points out, already by the late ninth century, two key leitmotifs of Russian history are beginning to emerge - the tendency towards autocracy, and the urge for aggression and expansion. Today Russia spans eleven time zones and is home to a hundred nationalities and a hundred and fifty languages.

Historical Consultant: Professor Geoffrey Hosking

Producers: Adam Fowler & Anna Scott-Brown
A Ladbroke production for BBC Radio 4. Show less