When did it collapse?
- The USSR met its fateful decline in 1991 mainly due to Mikhael Gorbvachev’s economic and political reforms- Perestroika and Glasnost respectively.
Factors Led to the Disintegration of the USSR
- Economic Crisis – Inefficient centralized economy, shortages, and declining oil revenues.
- Heavy Military Spending – Cold War arms race drained Soviet resources.
- Glasnost (Openness) – Gorbachev’s reforms exposed government failures.
- Perestroika (Restructuring) – Economic reforms failed to improve the economy.
- Rise of Nationalism – Soviet republics demanded independence.
- Afghan War (1979-1989) – Costly conflict weakened the Soviet military.
- Eastern Europe’s Revolutions (1989) – Loss of communist allies, fall of the Berlin Wall.
- Failed August 1991 Coup – Hardline communists attempted to regain control but failed.
- Boris Yeltsin’s Rise – Russian leader opposed the coup and gained support.
- December 25, 1991 – Gorbachev resigned, and the Soviet Union officially dissolved.
Consequence of the Fall Of the Soviet Union
- End of the Cold War – The U.S. became the sole superpower.
- Breakup of the USSR – 15 independent nations were formed.
- Economic Collapse in Russia – High inflation, unemployment, and corruption.
- NATO & EU Expansion – Former Soviet states joined Western alliances.
- Decline of Russian Military – Loss of power and influence.
- Ethnic Conflicts & Wars – Armed conflicts in Chechnya, Georgia, and Ukraine.
- Nuclear Weapon Challenges – Security concerns over former Soviet nukes.
- Rise of Putin’s Russia – Russia regained strength but faced tensions with the West.