2026-12-26 - Breakdown of the Soviet Union 35 years ago

The Baltic states had already declared their independence in 1990. After the failed coup in August, more of the Soviet republics gradually followed. On December 8, 1991, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus signed a treaty on the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Together with eight other former republics, the CIS was formally established on December 21 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union was decided. Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as President of the USSR on December 25 and handed over the reins to Boris Yeltsin, President of the new Russian Federation, which succeeded the former Soviet Union in terms of international law, with all rights and obligations.