Great Russian Encyclopedia

This is a big set of books. It has 36 books in all. It tells us many things about the world.

Many smart people worked on it. They wrote about all kinds of things. They wrote about lands and plants. They even wrote about the ocean.

One book was just about Russia. The other books go from A to Y.

Now, people use a computer to read it. It is like a big online library. It helps us learn new things.

Do you like to read big books?

The Great Russian Encyclopedia is a huge set of books. It was made to share facts about the world. It has 36 volumes in total. The first book was all about Russia. The other books cover topics from A to Y.

Many smart people helped make it. More than 80 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences worked on it. Yury Osipov was the chief editor. He was also the president of the Academy. Experts wrote about many things. They wrote about the ocean and even about plants.

People can now read it on a computer. This online version started in 2022. Some people thought it would compete with Wikipedia. However, officials said that was not the plan.

The project has faced many changes lately. In 2024, the work was paused. This happened because the government stopped giving money. Now, the information is being moved to a site called Ruwiki. The project will close by October 2025. The government will use money to pay for this end. This money will pay old debts and worker pay.

The Great Russian Encyclopedia is a massive collection of knowledge. It is a universal set of books meant to share facts. This project was built to follow the Great Soviet Encyclopedia. It was started after a special decree was signed in 2002. The Russian Academy of Sciences helped lead the whole project. It is a very important way for people to learn about many subjects.

Creating such a huge set of books is a big job. It took many years of hard work to finish. The first volume came out in 2004 and focused on Russia. Between 2005 and 2017, thirty-five more volumes were released. These books cover topics from the letter A to the letter Yaya. Each book has hundreds of pages filled with information. The set eventually reached a total of 36 volumes.

Many experts worked together to make the books accurate. Yury Osipov was the chief editor for the project. He was also the president of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The editorial board included more than 80 members from the Academy. These experts wrote about many different things. They wrote about the ocean and even about tiny things called nanonmaterials. Some people even looked at topics like the Mongol-Tatar invasion.

In recent years, the project has changed quite a lot. An electronic version was launched in 2022 for computers. This was meant to be a Russian version of Wikipedia. However, the project was paused on June 17, 2024. This happened because the government stopped providing funding. Now, the materials are being moved to a site called Ruwiki. The project is planned to close by October 20, 2025.

Closing a project this large requires careful steps. In September 2025, the government set aside over 300 million rubles. This money is used for the process of liquidation. It helps pay for unpaid salaries and old debts. It also covers payments for people who are laid off. While the books might go away, the facts they hold are very important. They connect many different ideas from history to science.

The Great Russian Encyclopedia, often called the GRE, is a massive collection of universal knowledge. It was designed to serve as a comprehensive reference for many different subjects. This project was created to succeed the Great Soviet Encyclopedia. It was launched under the guidance of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). In 2002, President Vladimir Putin signed presidential decree №1156 to begin this work. The encyclopedia aims to provide a deep look at science, history, and culture.

Creating this collection required a highly organized editorial process. Yury Osipov served as the chief editor and chairman of the Scientific Editorial Board. He was also a mathematician and the president of the RAS from 1991 to 2013. The project relied on a massive team of experts for its accuracy. The editorial board included more than 80 members of the RAS. These members included academics from various fields, such as the Russian Academy of Arts and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. They also included several high-ranking Russian Federation statesmen.

The publication of the encyclopedia happened in distinct stages over many years. The first volume was released in 2004 and focused specifically on Russia. Between 2005 and 2017, thirty-five additional volumes were published. These volumes cover a vast alphabetical range from "A" to "Яя" (Yaya). Each volume contains hundreds of pages of detailed information. For example, Volume 10 covers topics like the "Iron Tree" and "Radiation." Volume 24 includes entries on "Oceanariums" and the "Oyashio" current. By 2017, the complete print edition reached a total of 36 volumes.

The encyclopedia covers an incredible variety of topics across many disciplines. It includes scientific subjects like "nanomaterials," "semiconductors," and "plasma radiation." It also explores historical events, such as the "Mongol-Tatar invasion." Cultural and geographic entries range from "Iceland" to the "Greater Caucasus" mountains. Even specific social topics, like "social security" and "social partnership," are included. This breadth shows how the GRE attempted to capture almost all human knowledge in one set.

In recent years, the project has moved into the digital age. An electronic version was launched in 2022. This version was described as a Russian government alternative to Wikipedia. However, the project faced significant changes in 2024. On June 17, 2024, the project was suspended because the Russian government discontinued its funding. Following this, the materials began being transferred to a platform called Ruwiki. This shift marks a major transition from print and independent digital hosting to a new system.

The encyclopedia also faces criticism regarding its content and format. Some critics, such as writer Podosokorsky, have questioned the need for a print edition. They point out that other major encyclopedias, like Encyclopædia Britannica, have moved online. Some critics also argue that certain articles are narrow or biased. They have suggested that some historical and cultural entries are superficial. They also noted that the lists of references at the end of some articles can be extremely biased. Despite this, some readers have acknowledged that many of the articles are excellent.

The project is now entering a period of formal closure known as liquidation. A decree was issued in December 2024 to liquidate the Great Russian Encyclopedia. This process is scheduled to be completed by October 20, 2025. To manage this, the Russian government allocated over 300 million rubles in September 2025. This large sum is dedicated to the costs of the liquidation process. Specifically, the money will be used to pay unpaid salaries and settle old debts. It will also provide layoff payments for the staff involved in the project.