List of Russian inventors

This is a list of inventors from the Russian Federation, Soviet Union, Russian Empire, Tsardom of Russia, and Grand Duchy of Moscow. It includes both ethnic Russians and people from other groups.

Many of these inventors made important discoveries and created new technologies that changed the world. Some were born in Russia and later moved away, while others came from other countries to work and invent in Russia.

Their inventions cover many areas, such as science, medicine, engineering, and everyday life. These ideas and creations have helped people live better and understand the world around them. For a look at Russian inventions in the order they were made, you can visit the Timeline of Russian inventions and technology records.

Alphabetical list

This section lists inventors from many places in Russia, including the Russian Federation, the Soviet Union, and older Russian states. It includes people born in Russia or who worked there for a long time.

The list is organized by the first letter of each inventor's last name, from A to Z.

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Bruno Abakanowicz (1852–1900) Russian Empire France (Poland/Lithuania origin)	Integraph, spirograph, parabolagraph
	Valerian Abakovsky (1895–1921) Russian Empire Soviet Union Latvia	aerowagon
	Vitaly Abalakov (1906–1986) Russian Empire Soviet Union	camming devices, Abalakov thread (V-thread) gearless ice climbing anchor
	Evgeny Abramyan (1930–2014) Soviet Union Russian Federation Georgia	halyard for the first extra-vehicular activity
	Vsevolod Abramovich (1890–1913) Russian Empire Soviet Union	Abramovich Flyer
	Hovannes Adamian (1879–1932) Russian Empire Soviet Union (Armenia/Azerbaijan/Germany)	tricolor principle of the color television
	Franz Aepinus (1724–1802) Holy Roman Empire Russian Empire	achromatic microscope
	Georgy Adelson-Velsky (1922–2014) Soviet Union Russia Israel	AVL tree datastructure, Kaissa (the first World Computer Chess Champion)
	Anatoly Alexandrov (1903–1994) Russian Empire Soviet Union Russian Federation	anti-mine demagnetising of ships, naval nuclear reactors (including one for the first nuclear icebreaker)
	Alexandre Alexeieff (1901–1982) Russian Empire France	pinscreen animation (with his wife Claire Parker)
	Rostislav Alexeyev (1916–1980) Russian Empire Soviet Union	ekranoplan, Soviet high-speed hydrofoils
	Zhores Alferov (1930–2019) Soviet Union Russian Federation	heterotransistor (with Herbert Kroemer), continuous-wave-operating diode laser (with Dmitri Garbuzov)
	Genrich Altshuller (1926–1998) Soviet Union Russian Federation	TRIZ ("The Theory of Solving Inventor's Problems")
	Vasily Andreyev (1861–1918) Russian Empire	standard balalaika
	Oleg Antonov (1906–1984) Russian Empire Soviet Union	An-series aircraft, including Antonov A-40 winged tank and Antonov An-124 (the largest serial cargo aircraft, later modified to world's largest fixed-wing aircraft Antonov An-225)
	Lev Artsimovich (1909–1973) Russian Empire Soviet Union	first tokamak

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Georgy Babakin (1914–1971) Russian Empire Soviet Union	first soft landing space vehicle (Luna 9)
	Boris Babayan (born 1933) Soviet Union Russia	Elbrus computer
	Vladimir Baranov-Rossine (1888–1944) Russian Empire France (Ukraine) (self-portrait)	Optophonic Piano, pointillist or dynamic military camouflage
	Vladimir Barmin (1909–1993) Russian Empire Soviet Union Russian Federation	first rocket launch complex (Baikonur spaceport)
	Nikolay Basov (1922–2001) Soviet Union Russian Federation	co-inventor of laser and maser
	Ernest Beaux (1881–1961) Russian Empire France	Chanel No. 5
	Vladimir Bekhterev (1857–1927) Russian Empire Soviet Union	Bekhterev’s Mixture (a medicine with a sedative effect)
	Nikolay Benardos (1842–1905) Russian Empire	arc welding (specifically carbon arc welding, the first arc welding method)
	Aleksandr Bereznyak (1912–1974) Russian Empire Soviet Union (left on photo)	first rocket-powered fighter aircraft, BI-1 (together with Isaev)
	Georgy Beriev (1903–1979) Russian Empire Soviet Union (Georgian origin)	Be-series amphibious aircraft
	Fyodor Blinov (1827–1902) Russian Empire	first tracked vehicle (a wagon on continuous tracks), steam-powered caterpillar tractor
	Sam Born (1891–1959) Russian Empire United States	lollipop-making machine
	Georgy Bothezat (1882–1940) Russian Empire United States	quadrotor helicopter (The Flying Octopus)
	Sergey Brin (born 1973) Soviet Union United States	with Larry Page, invented Google web search engine
	Mikhail Britnev (1822–1889) Russian Empire	first metal-hull icebreaker (Pilot)
	Nikolay Brusentsov (1925–2014) Soviet Union Russian Federation	ternary computer (Setun)
	Gersh Budker (1918–1977) Soviet Union	electron cooling, co-inventor of collider
	Aleksandr Butlerov (1828–1886) Russian Empire	hexamine, formaldehyde, formose reaction (the synthesis of sugar)

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Vladimir Chelomey (1914–1984) Russian Empire Soviet Union	first space station (Salyut 1), further space stations of Salyut series, Proton rocket (the most used heavy lift launch system)
	Pavel Cherenkov (1904–1990) Russian Empire Soviet Union	Cherenkov detector
	Evgeniy Chertovsky (1902–?) Russian Empire Soviet Union Russian Federation	pressure suit
	Alexander Chizhevsky (1897–1964) Russian Empire Soviet Union	air ionizer (Chizhevsky's chandelier)
	Andrey Chokhov (c. 1545–1629) Grand Duchy of Moscow Tsardom of Russia	Tsar Cannon, the largest bombard by caliber but inoperative

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Vasily Degtyaryov (1880–1949) Russian Empire Soviet Union	first self-loading carbine, Degtyaryov-series firearms, co-developer of Fedorov Avtomat (the first self-loading rifle)
	Akinfiy Demidov (1678–1745) Tsardom of Russia Russian Empire	co-developer of rebar, cast iron cupola, lightning rod (all found in the Leaning Tower of Nevyansk)
	Yuri Denisyuk (1927–2006) Soviet Union Russian Federation	3D holography
	Aleksandr Dianin (1851–1918) Russian Empire	Bisphenol A, Dianin's compound
	Mikhail Dolivo-Dobrovolsky (1862–1919) Russian Empire (Poland, Germany)	three-phase electric power (first 3-phase hydroelectric power plant, 3-phase electrical generator, 3-phase motor and 3-phase transformer)
	Nikolay Dollezhal (1899–2000) Russian Empire Soviet Union Russian Federation	AM-1 reactor for the first nuclear power plant and other RBMK-type reactors, pressurized water reactor (VVER)
	Alexey Dushkin (1904–1977) Russian Empire Soviet Union	deep column station

Person	Inventions	Image
Ivan Elmanov Russian Empire	first monorail (the so-called "Road on Pillars" near Moscow, with horse-drawn carriages)

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Peter Carl Fabergé (1846–1920) Russian Empire	Fabergé Eggs
	Nicolas Florine (1891–1972) Russian Empire Belgium (born in Georgia)	first tandem rotor helicopter to fly freely
	Ivan Fyodorov (c. 1510–1583) Grand Duchy of Moscow Tsardom of Russia Poland-Lithuania	invented multibarreled mortar, introduced printing in Russia
	Svyatoslav Fyodorov (1927–2000) Soviet Union Russian Federation	radial keratotomy
	Vladimir Fyodorov (1874–1966) Russian Empire Soviet Union	Fedorov Avtomat (first self-loading battle rifle, arguably the first assault rifle)

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Yakov Modestovich Gakkel (1874–1945) Russian Empire Soviet Union	first Russian-made aircraft and diesel locomotives
	Boris Borisovich Galitzine (1862–1916) Russian Empire	electromagnetic seismograph
	Dmitri Garbuzov (1940–2006) Soviet Union Russian Federation United States	continuous-wave-operating diode lasers (together with Zhores Alferov), high-power diode lasers
	Georgy Gause (1910–1986) Russian Empire Soviet Union	gramicidin S, neomycin, lincomycin and other antibiotics
	E. K. Gauzen Russian Empire	three bolt equipment (early diving costume)
	Andrey Geim (born 1958) Soviet Union United Kingdom	graphene
	Nestor Genko (1839–1904) Russian Empire	Genko's Forest Belt (the first large-scale windbreak system)
	Valentyn Glushko (1908–1989) Russian Empire Soviet Union	hypergolic propellant, electric propulsion, Soviet rocket engines (including world's most powerful liquid-fuel rocket engine RD-170)
	Leonid Gobyato (1875–1915) Russian Empire	first modern man-portable mortar
	Igor Gorynin (1926–2015) Soviet Union Russian Federation	weldable titanium alloys, high strength aluminium alloys, radiation-hardened steels
	Boris Grabovsky (1901–1966) Russian Empire Soviet Union	cathode commutator, an early electronic TV pickup tube
	Mikhail Gurevich (1893–1976) Russian Empire Soviet Union (left on photo)	MiG-series fighter aircraft, including world's most produced jet aircraft MiG-15 and most produced supersonic aircraft MiG-21 (together with Artem Mikoyan)

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Waldemar Haffkine (1860–1930) Russian Empire Switzerland	developed and used first vaccines against cholera and bubonic plague

Person	Inventions	Image
Gavriil Ilizarov (1921–1992) Soviet Union Russian Federation	Ilizarov apparatus, external fixation, distraction osteogenesis
Sergey Ilyushin (1894–1977) Russian Empire Soviet Union	Il-series fighter aircraft, including Ilyushin Il-2 bomber (the most produced military aircraft in history)
Aleksei Isaev (1908–1971) Russian Empire Soviet Union (second left on photo)	first rocket-powered fighter aircraft, BI-1 (together with Bereznyak)
Isidore Grand Duchy of Moscow	Russian vodka
Vladislav Ivanov (1936–2007) Soviet Union Russian Federation	Pioneer of Magnetic resonance imaging

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Boris Jacobi (1801–1874) Prussia Russian Empire	electrotyping (an application of electroplating to typography), electric boat

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Theophil Wilgodt Odhner (1845–1903) Sweden Russian Empire	the Odhner Arithmometer (a mechanical pinwheel calculator)
	Lucien Olivier (1838–1883) Russian Empire (Belgian or French origin)	Russian salad (Olivier salad)

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Alexey Pajitnov (born 1956) Soviet Union United States	Tetris
	Ivan Pavlov (1849–1936) Russian Empire Soviet Union	classical conditioning
	Vasily Petrov (1761–1834) Russian Empire	continuous electric arc, arc welding
	Nikolay Pirogov (1810–1881) Russian Empire	early use of ether as anaesthetic, first anaesthesia in a field operation, various kinds of surgical operations
	Fyodor Pirotsky (1845–1898) Russian Empire	electric tram
	Ivan Plotnikov (1902–1995) Russian Empire Soviet Union Russian Federation	kirza leather
	Nikolai Polikarpov (1892–1944) Russian Empire Soviet Union	Po-series aircraft, including Polikarpov Po-2 Kukuruznik (world's most produced biplane)
	Ivan Polzunov (1728–1766) Russian Empire	first two-cylinder steam engine
	Mikhail Pomortsev (1851–1916) Russian Empire	nephoscope
	Alexander Popov (1859–1906) Russian Empire	built an early radio receiver in the form of a lightning detector, eastern European countries claim he is the "inventor of radio"
	Nikolay Popov (1931–2008) Soviet Union Russian Federation	first fully gas turbine main battle tank (T-80)
	Aleksandr Porokhovschikov (1892 – c. 1942) Russian Empire Soviet Union	Vezdekhod (the first prototype tank, or tankette, and the first continuous track amphibious ATV)
	Alexander Procofieff de Seversky (1894–1974) Russian Empire United States	ionocraft, first gyroscopically stabilized bombsight, also developed air-to-air refueling
	Alexander Prokhorov (1916–2002) Russian Empire Soviet Union Russian Federation	co-inventor of laser and maser
	Petro Prokopovych (1775–1850) Russian Empire (Ukraine)	beehive frame, queen excluder and other beekeeping novelties
	Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky (1863–1944) Russian Empire France	early colour photography method based on three colour channels, also colour film slides and colour motion pictures

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Leonid Ramzin (1887–1948) Russian Empire Soviet Union	straight-flow boiler (Ramzin boiler)
	Peter I of Russia (Romanov) (1672–1725) Tsardom of Russia Russian Empire	decimal currency, yacht club, sounding line with separating plummet (sounding weight probe)
	Ida Rosenthal (1886–1973) Russian Empire United States (born in Belarus, Jewish descent)	modern brassiere (Maidenform), the standard of cup sizes, nursing bra, full-figured bra, the first seamed uplift bra (all with her husband William)
	Boris Rosing (1869–1933) Russian Empire Soviet Union	CRT television (first TV system using cathode ray tube on the receiving side)
	Eugene Roshal (born 1972) Soviet Union Russian Federation	FAR file manager, RAR file format, WinRAR file archiver

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Andrey Ternovskiy (born 1992) Russian Federation	creator of Chatroulette, the first random webcam chat website
	Léon Theremin (1896–1993) Russian Empire Soviet Union United States Russian Federation	theremin, burglar alarm, terpsitone, Rhythmicon (first drum machine), The Thing (listening device)
	Andrey Tikhonov (1906–1993) Russian Empire Soviet Union Russian Federation	magnetotellurics
	Mikhail Tikhonravov (1900–1974) Russian Empire Soviet Union	co-developer of Sputnik 1 (the first artificial satellite) together with Korolyov and Keldysh, designer of further Sputniks
	Gavriil Tikhov (1875–1960) Russian Empire Soviet Union	feathering spectrograph
	Fedor Tokarev (1871–1968) Russian Empire Soviet Union	TT-33 semiautomatic handgun and SVT-40 self-loading rifle (main Soviet guns of World War II)
	Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, (1857–1935) Russian Empire Soviet Union	spaceflight (theory principles that led to numerous inventions, derived the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation)
	Mikhail Tsvet (1872–1919) Russian Empire	chromatography (specifically adsorption chromatography, the first chromatography method)
	Alexei Tupolev (1925–2001) Soviet Union Russian Federation	the Tupolev Tu-144 (first supersonic passenger jet)
	Andrei Tupolev (1888–1972) Russian Empire Soviet Union	turboprop powered long-range airliner (Tupolev Tu-114), turboprop strategic bomber (Tupolev Tu-95)

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Vladimir Vakhmistrov (1897–1972) Russian Empire Soviet Union	first bomber with a parasite aircraft (Zveno project)
	Viktor Vasnetsov (1848–1926) Russian Empire Soviet Union	budenovka military hat
	Vladimir Veksler (1907–1966) Russian Empire Soviet Union	synchrophasotron, co-inventor of synchrotron

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Paul Walden (1863–1957) Russian Empire Germany (born in Latvia, Baltic German descent)	Walden inversion, Ethylammonium nitrate (the first room temperature ionic liquid)

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Pavel Yablochkov (1847–1894) Russian Empire	Yablochkov candle (first commercially viable electric carbon arc lamp)
	Alexander Yakovlev (1906–1989) Russian Empire Soviet Union	Yak-series aircraft, including Yakovlev Yak-40 (the first regional jet)
	Vladimir Yourkevitch (1885–1964) Russian Empire France United States	modern ship hull design
	Sergei Yudin (1891–1954) Russian Empire Soviet Union	cadaveric blood transfusion and other medical operations

Portrait	Person	Inventions	Image
	Ludwik Łazarz Zamenhof (1859–1917) Russian Empire (Poland)	Esperanto language
	Yevgeny Zavoisky (1907–1976) Russian Empire Soviet Union	EPR spectroscopy, co-developer of NMR spectroscopy
	Nikolay Zelinsky (1861–1953) Russian Empire Soviet Union	the first effective filtering activated charcoal gas mask in the world
	Nikolai Zhukovsky (1847–1921) Russian Empire Russian SFSR	an early wind tunnel, co-developer of the Tsar Tank
	Vladimir Zvorykin (1889–1982) Russian Empire United States	pioneer of television technology Iconoscope, kinescope
	Vasily Zvyozdochkin (1876–1956) Russian Empire Soviet Union	matryoshka doll (together with painter Sergey Malyutin)

Alphabetical list

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