Post-Soviet states

Quick Facts: Who was Post-Soviet states?

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Post-Soviet states

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The 15 sovereign states that emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

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Origins & Early Life

The post-Soviet states, also referred to as the former Soviet Union or the former Soviet republics, are the independent sovereign states that emerged/re-emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Prior to their independence, they existed as Union Republics, which were the top-level constituents of the Soviet Union. There are 15 post-Soviet states in total: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Each of these countries succeeded their respective Union Republics: the Armenian SSR, the Azerbaijan SSR, the Byelorussian SSR, the Estonian SSR, the Georgian SSR, the Kazakh SSR, the Kirghiz SSR, the Latvian SSR, the Lithuanian SSR, the Moldavian SSR, the Russian SFSR, the Tajik SSR, the Turkmen SSR, the Ukrainian SSR, and the Uzbek SSR. In Russia, the term "near abroad" (Russian: ближнее зарубежье, romanized: bližneye zarubežye) is sometimes used to refer to the post-Soviet states other than Russia.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In a broader sense, post-Soviet states may include all countries of the former Eastern Bloc. Following the transition period and cessation of the existence of the Soviet Union, post-Soviet states and the international community de facto and de jure recognized Russia as the only continuator state to the Soviet Union as a whole, rather than to just the Russian SFSR including UN and UNSC membership (see agreements in Succession, continuity and legacy of the Soviet Union). The other post-Soviet states were recognized as successors only to their corresponding Union Republics and to international treaties concluded by the Soviet Union. All 12 post-Soviet states are successors of the Soviet Union, but not continuators. The Union Republics of the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) were the first to break away from the Soviet Union by proclaiming the restoration of their national independence in 1990; they cited legal continuity from the original Baltic states, asserting that Baltic sovereignty had continued on a de jure basis due to the belligerent nature of the 1940 Soviet annexation.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Subsequently, the 12 remaining Union Republics seceded, with all of them jointly establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and most of them later joining the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). On the other hand, the three Baltic states pursued a policy of near-total disengagement with the Russian-dominated post-Soviet sphere, instead focusing on integrating themselves with the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). They successfully attained NATO membership and were granted EU membership in 2004. Since the 2000s, many EU officials have stressed the importance of establishing EU Association Agreements with the other post-Soviet states. Ukraine and Georgia have actively sought NATO membership due to increasingly hostile Russian interference in their internal affairs.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1990: 1990 Milestone — The Union Republics of the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) were the first to break away from the Soviet Union by proclaiming the restoration of their national independence in 1990; they cited legal continuity from the original Baltic states, asserting that Baltic sovereignty had continued on a de jure basis due to the belligerent nature of the 1940 Soviet annexation.
2. 1991: 1991 Milestone — The post-Soviet states, also referred to as the former Soviet Union or the former Soviet republics, are the independent sovereign states that emerged/re-emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
3. 2004: 2004 Milestone — They successfully attained NATO membership and were granted EU membership in 2004.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Post-Soviet states

True or False: “All post-Soviet states were considered continuators of the entire Soviet Union structure after its dissolution.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Only Russia was de facto recognized as a potential continuator; the other 12 states are viewed as successors only to their respective Union Republics.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Abdurrahman Wahid — Historical peer (Born in 1940) (1940): Influential Indonesian politician, Islamic leader, and fourth President known for pluralism.
• A. A. K. Niazi — Historical peer (Died in 2004) (2004): Pakistani general who commanded Eastern Command during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
• Ahn Ji-ho (actor) — Historical peer (Born in 2004) (2004): South Korean actor known for starting his career in web series.

Frequently Asked Questions about Post-Soviet states