The Soviet Union established diplomatic relations with Laos on October 7, 1960. The Lao representative in France was accredited to the Soviet Union, and the ambassador of the Soviet Union to Cambodia was accredited to Laos.[2] On December 1, 1962, the USSR and Laos signed several agreements, including the ones on trade and payments, on economic and technical assistance in the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the Nam Niep River, and on the construction of a hospital and a radio station in Vientiane on pro donate basis.
Since 2014, Russia and Laos have been working on increasing cooperation. Russian politician Valentina Matviyenko met with Lao politician Pany Yathotou, discussing improving and strengthening relations between the two countries. Tourism from Russia to Laos has gone up over the last several years, with Russian citizens not needing a visa to enter Laos. Around 200 Laotian students attended school in Russia. Plans were also made to create a Russian language school in Vientiane.[3]
