Soviet Union dissolved
December 25, 1991
At 7:32 p.m. Moscow time, Mikhail Gorbachev announced his resignation on television. The hammer-and-sickle flag came down over the Kremlin and the Russian tricolor went up. Fifteen new republics were born on what had been Soviet ground. Seventy-four years of communist rule in Russia ended without a shot being fired at the center.
In context
Also in 1991 (6 other events on record)
- Mount Pinatubo Erupts · Southeast Asia · Disaster
- Yugoslavia begins to break up · Europe · War
- World Wide Web opens to the public · Europe · Technology
- Gulf War begins · Middle East · War
- Soviet coup attempt · Europe · Politics
- Yeltsin elected Russian president · Europe · Politics
Before and after in Europe
Before and after in Politics
Era
Modern Era (1901–2000), one of 590 events from that era on Saeculum.