What was the impact of first world war on russian empire?

World War One was to have a devastating impact on Russia. When World War One started in August 1914, Russia responded by patriotically rallying around Nicholas II. In the early stages of the war the Russian army suffered huge losses at Tannenburg and at the Battle of the Masurian Lakes. These losses resulted in unrest in the army and led to questions being asked about the way in which the military was run. As a result of ongoing military blunders, Tsar Nicholas II decided to take charge of the army himself. war affected Russia in other ways, which also had a damaging impact on the Tsar. As more and more men went to war, the work of factories and farms became a matter of some concern. Russian industry and agriculture struggled to cope with the war economy. Food shortages in the cities were heightened by the war - the limited railway system was focused on transportation of men and arms to the front, rather than food to the cities. Riots broke out as a result of starvation, workers in the cities complained about the situation they found themselves in and, as the number of dead continued to rise, the level of discontent grew.