▁Revolution ▁was ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁political ▁and ▁social ▁revolution ▁across ▁the ▁territory ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire , ▁comm encing ▁with ▁the ▁abol ition ▁of ▁the ▁mon archy ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁and ▁con cluding ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁after ▁the ▁B ols he vik ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁War . ▁ ▁It ▁began ▁during ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War , ▁with ▁the ▁February ▁Revolution ▁that ▁was ▁focused ▁in ▁and ▁around ▁Pet ro grad ▁( now ▁Saint ▁Petersburg ), ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁Russia ▁at ▁that ▁time . ▁The ▁revolution ▁er upt ed ▁in ▁the ▁context ▁of ▁Russia ' s ▁major ▁military ▁losses ▁during ▁the ▁War , ▁which ▁resulted ▁in ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Army ▁being ▁ready ▁to ▁mut iny . ▁In ▁the ▁cha os , ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁D uma , ▁Russia ' s ▁parliament , ▁assumed ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁forming ▁the ▁Russian ▁Pro vis ional ▁Government . ▁This ▁was ▁domin ated ▁by ▁the ▁interests ▁of ▁large ▁capital ists ▁and ▁the ▁noble ▁arist ocracy . ▁The ▁army ▁leadership ▁felt ▁they ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁the ▁means ▁to ▁suppress ▁the ▁revolution , ▁and ▁Emperor ▁Nicholas ▁II ▁ab dic ated ▁his ▁throne . ▁Gr ass ro ots ▁community ▁assemb lies ▁called ▁' S ovi ets ', ▁which ▁were ▁domin ated ▁by ▁soldiers ▁and ▁the ▁urban ▁industrial ▁working ▁class , ▁initially ▁permitted ▁the ▁Pro vis ional ▁Government ▁to ▁rule , ▁but ▁ins isted ▁on ▁a ▁pr er og ative ▁to ▁influence ▁the ▁government ▁and ▁control