In March 1918, the Soviet government, under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin, announced the decision to relocate the capital of Russia from Saint Petersburg back to Moscow. This move came after more than two centuries during which Saint Petersburg had served as the capital since its founding by Peter the Great in 1703. The decision was emblematic of the broader changes taking place within Russian society and governance following the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. It was influenced by strategic considerations related to the ongoing Russian Civil War, making it more practical for the Bolshevik government to be situated in Moscow, a city that was more central and easier to defend compared to the northern capital. Additionally, moving the capital back to Moscow represented a symbolic break from the Tsarist past and an assertion of a new Soviet identity.

The announcement reflected various considerations, including geography and the proximity to revolutionary activity, as Moscow had long been a center of Russian culture and politics. The move symbolized the aspiration for a new order in Russian governance and society. Following the capital's relocation, Saint Petersburg was renamed Petrograd and ultimately Leningrad, further signifying the departure from imperial traditions. The transition was marked by the transformation of government institutions and the establishment of new administrative systems that aligned with Bolshevik ideologies.

This strategic decision enabled the Soviet government to consolidate its power and establish a focal point for administration during a tumultuous period in Russian history. Moscow's status as the capital allowed it to emerge as a significant cultural and political center, which would continue throughout the Soviet era.