Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Part of the Cold War and the Revolutions of 1989
The Soviet flag being lowered from the Moscow Kremlin and being replaced with the flag of Russia
The Soviet Red Banner being lowered from the Kremlin and replaced with the Russian tricolor on 25 December 1991, moments after Mikhail Gorbachev announced his resignation, recognizing the Belovezh Accords
Date16 November 1988 – 26 December 1991(1988-11-161991-12-26)
(3 years, 1 month, and 10 days)
Location
Soviet UnionSoviet Union
  • former Soviet republics:
    Armenian Soviet Socialist RepublicArmenia
    Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist RepublicAzerbaijan
    Byelorussian Soviet Socialist RepublicBelarus
    Estonian Soviet Socialist RepublicEstonia
    Georgian Soviet Socialist RepublicGeorgia
    Kazakh Soviet Socialist RepublicKazakhstan
    Kirghiz Soviet Socialist RepublicKyrgyzstan
    Latvian Soviet Socialist RepublicLatvia
    Lithuanian Soviet Socialist RepublicLithuania
    Moldavian Soviet Socialist RepublicMoldova
    Russian Soviet Federative Socialist RepublicRussia
    Tajik Soviet Socialist RepublicTajikistan
    Turkmen Soviet Socialist RepublicTurkmenistan
    Ukrainian Soviet Socialist RepublicUkraine
    Uzbek Soviet Socialist RepublicUzbekistan
  • unrecognized breakaway states:
    Artsakh(1991–present)
    Chechnya(1991–2000)
    Gagauzia(1990–1994)
    Nakhchivan(1990–1993)
    TatarstanTatarstan(1992–1994)
    TransnistriaTransnistria(1990–present)
Participants
  • Nations of the Soviet Union
  • Soviet government
  • Governments of the republics
  • Governments of the autonomous republics
  • Nationalist and liberal opposition
Outcome
  • Dissolution of the Soviet Union into fifteen independent states
  • Establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States between eleven independent states
  • Several separatist movements in the former autonomies prove successful, most either fail to combat the militaries of their respective republics or agree to rejoin them peacefully
  • Numerous military conflicts and ethnic clashes unfold during and after the dissolution, provoking humanitarian crises and leaving many internally displaced
  • Republics declare multi-party presidential or semi-presidential systems
  • Republics move to adopt capitalist market economy
  • Ruble zone active in most of the new states in 1992–94 with national currencies adopted later
  • Unified Soviet Armed Forces divided circa 1992–1993
  • Black Sea Fleet partitioned and negotiation for relocation between Russia and Ukraine in 1997 until 2017; terminated in 2014
  • Issues with value loss of savings of former Soviet citizens
  • Issues with social and medical support for veterans of the Soviet–Afghan War
  • Relocation of the Soviet Armed Forces from East Germany and the rest of Central Europe
  • End of the Cold War
  • End of CPSU rule
  • Decline of communist movements around the world
  • The United States becomes the world's sole superpower
^Then romanized asByelorussia(Russian:Белоруссия).
^Then romanized asKirghizia(Russian:Киргизия).
^Then romanized asMoldavia(Russian:Молдавия).
^Then romanized asTurkmenia(Russian:Туркмения).