Russia fought against and conquered territories that were left after the Mongol Empire. By the time the Russian explorers crossed the Ural mountains, much of the territory of Siberia was very sparsely populated and was not controlled by any centralized government, which required establishing new forts and allowed advancing without much resistance. Later these forts became trade hubs abd grew into big cities.

After many small Russian states united their forces and defeated Tatar-Mongol army in the battle on Kulikovo field in 1380, the Russian states, which needed to pay tribute or be direct vassals to the Mongols, became independent. Moscow principality gained much power and gathered lands around itself. In 1480 Stand on the Ugra river took place: the Golden horde and the Russian army stood against each other, but nobody attacked.

Since then Russia became fully independent and had many wars against Khanate of Kazan, which was a strong state to the east, one of the successors of the Golden horde. In 1552 Kazan fell and their territories became a part of the Tsardom of Russia. In 1584 the next state, the Khanate of Sibir was conquered by Russians: this state was much weaker than Kazan and basically crumbled after one campaign led by a relatively small group of exploration troops. The conquest of Siberia continued: the explorers followed plentiful rivers there and traded furs with the natives. Also having gunpowder and cannons helped, when violence occured. But after the dissolution of the Mongol empire, there were no strong powers left in the region. So by year 1700 the Russian explorers reached the Pacific ocean and borders of China.