Soviet History/The Collapse of the Soviet Union

The dissolution of the Soviet Union officially occurred on December 26, 1991, ending nearly seven decades of communist rule and splitting the superpower into 15 independent nations. This historic event concluded the Cold War, restructured global geopolitics, and marked the collapse of Marxist-Leninist governance across Eastern Europe. Causes Central planning produced major inefficiencies, severe shortages, consumer goods rationing, and a massive reliance on dwindling oil revenues.An unsustainable arms race with the United States and the costly, failed invasion of Afghanistan severely drained Soviet resources. Key Events thumb|The Collapse of the Soviet Union November 1988: Estonia becomes the first Soviet republic to declare state sovereignty. November 1989: The Fall of the Berlin Wall. August 1991: Communist hardliners attempt a failed coup to overthrow Gorbachev. December 1991: The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus sign the Belovezhie Accords, declaring the Soviet Union dissolved. December 25, 1991: The Soviet hammer-and-sickle flag is permanently lowered from the Kremlin.