The events of Volume One take place between June 18 and 22, 1993. Below is a brief overview of the situation in the country and the world at that time.
In 1993:
- On January 15, NBC aired the final, 2,137th episode of the series «Santa Barbara».
- On January 20, Bill Clinton was inaugurated as President of the United States. George H. W. Bush left office.
- On February 13–14, the restorative congress of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation was held. Gennady Zyuganov was elected party leader.
- On February 17, the joint-stock company «Gazprom» was established.
- On March 12, at an emergency session of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation, deputies voted to limit the president's powers and rejected the constitutional amendments proposed by Yeltsin.
- On March 26–29, an attempt was made by the Supreme Soviet to remove President Boris Yeltsin from office: a decision was made to hold a referendum on confidence in the president, the chairman of the Supreme Soviet, and the body of deputies.
- On April 3–4, in Vancouver (Canada), the first meeting took place between Russian President Boris Yeltsin and US President Bill Clinton. The meeting resulted in the Vancouver Declaration, proclaiming a strategic partnership between Russia and the United States.
- On April 5, a Russian Government decree established the «Lukoil» Oil Company on the basis of the state concern «Lukoil». In Moscow, the «Avtoradio» radio station began broadcasting.
- On April 15, the «YUKOS» Oil Company was created.
- On April 20, the American pop group «Backstreet Boys» was formed.
- On April 25, an all-Russian referendum was held, remembered for its advertising slogan «Yes-Yes-No-Yes» and its four questions:
- Do you trust the President of the Russian Federation, B. N. Yeltsin? (58.7% in favor);
- Do you approve of the socio-economic policy pursued by the President and Government of the Russian Federation since 1992? (53.0% in favor);
- Do you consider it necessary to hold early elections for President of the Russian Federation? (49.5% in favor);
- Do you consider it necessary to hold early elections for people's deputies of the Russian Federation? (67.2% in favor).
- On April 29, criminal prosecution for sodomy was abolished in Russia.
- On May 1, a demonstration by opposition forces took place in Moscow. Clashes occurred between demonstrators and police and OMON units on Gagarin Square and Leninsky Prospekt.
- On June 30, the dollar exchange rate exceeded one thousand rubles for the first time in trading on the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange (reaching 1,024 rubles per dollar).