The accordion became popular in Russia in the early 19th century. The origin of this instrument is a matter of debate. According to one version, it was invented by Czech master Frantisek Kirshnik in the late 18th century in St. Petersburg. The Russian master Demyanov improved the accordion and gave it a modern look in 1829 in Vienna by adding a body and two keyboards.

By the 1830s, mass production of accordions began. A well-known master of its manufacture was Ivan Sizov from Tula. Thanks to its expressive and loud sound, the accordion quickly spread across Russia, becoming an integral part of national culture and a mandatory attribute of celebrations.

There are several types of Russian accordions: single-row, double-row, and triple-row, which differ in sound production techniques. In some instruments, such as the livenka, Russian venka, and chromka, the pitch does not change when the bellows' direction is altered. In others, such as the talyanka, cherepanka, Tula, and Vyatka, the pitch changes.

The accordion is often confused with the bayan and the accordion, which are its improved forms but differ in size and sound character. The accordion is smaller and lighter, as it has fewer octaves and keys, and it sounds in one key. The bayan is characterized by unison sound, where several notes of the same pitch sound simultaneously, giving it a ringing quality. The accordion, on the other hand, is tuned in 'spread', where pressing a key produces two voices with a slight difference in range, creating a shimmering effect.

Interestingly, the bayan got its name in honor of the ancient Russian bard Boyan.