What is the parade of sovereignties in history. "parade of sovereignties" in the USSR: concept, reasons. Consequences of the "parade of sovereignties"

The events in the USSR in the late 80s and early 90s of the last century gave the world the concept of a “parade of sovereignties”. It is difficult to overestimate the significance of this process, which became the main driving force behind the collapse of the Soviet Union. How did the "parade of sovereignties" take place? The causes and consequences of this phenomenon will be discussed below.

The emergence of the term

The very term "parade of sovereignties" appeared with the light hand of the People's Deputy of the RSFSR Pyotr Zerin. It was he who first applied this expression at the end of 1990 at the Congress of Deputies in order to characterize the process that took place in the country in connection with the declaration of state independence by ten republics. Then Peter Zerin spoke sharply negatively about these tendencies, predicting, as a consequence of them, a war, an increase in separatism, the onset of chaos in the legal field.

But from that moment on, the concept of "parade of sovereignties" was firmly entrenched in the political vocabulary. Another popular name for the same process was "war of laws", that is, "war" of republican legislation with all-Union legislation.

Prehistory of the parade of sovereignties

In the second half of the 1980s, the Soviet Union experienced an acute economic and political crisis, which was aggravated by falling prices for oil products, the war in Afghanistan and a general collapse in the administrative-command system.

In 1985, the leader of a new formation, Mikhail Gorbachev, came to power in the USSR. He tried to bring the state out of the crisis through rather radical reforms. These reforms presupposed the introduction of elements of a market economy, glasnost, and party pluralism. This course has been actively pursued since the beginning of 1987 and even got its name - Perestroika.

But, as life has shown, some of these reforms were too half-hearted and insufficient for a radical solution to the problem, while others were too radical for the Soviet society of that time. As a result, all this led to an even greater deepening of the systemic crisis in the country. In addition to problems in the economy and in the administrative apparatus, centrifugal tendencies and local separatism began to grow in the regions, which in the future resulted in interethnic conflicts and a "parade of sovereignty" in the USSR.

Causes

The root cause that caused the "parade of sovereignties" was the systemic crisis in the Soviet Union, leading to the fact that the government was unable to properly ensure the preservation of the integrity of the state and the priority throughout its territory of all-union laws. In addition, the policy of glasnost, that is, the permission to freely express one's opinion about the political situation, which had never been the case in the USSR before, led to the fact that interethnic contradictions, which until then, due to strict administrative control, have come to life with renewed vigor, were frozen.

In addition, "economic separatism" began to appear, that is, the unwillingness of industrialized regions to share their income with less developed parts of the state. This led to the demands of the regional authorities for economic autonomy, and even complete independence.

The beginning of the "parade"

The beginning of the "parade of sovereignties" is usually associated with the proclamation in November 1988 of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Estonian USSR, which emphasized the priority of intra-republican laws over all-Union laws. In addition, it stated the demand for a review of Estonia's status within the Soviet Union. At that time, this did not cause too wide resonance in the country, as there were many other events that disturbed the public. And nevertheless, it was this declaration that marked the beginning of the process, which is commonly called the “parade of sovereignties,” in the USSR.

Further development of the "parade of sovereignties"

Throughout 1989, two other Baltic republics, the Lithuanian SSR and the Latvian SSR, as well as the Azerbaijan SSR, declared their sovereignty and the supremacy of republican legislation over the all-Union legislation.

The first territorial entity that announced its secession from the largest state in the world was the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. It happened in January 1990, after the bloody dispersal of the protesters in Baku by the security forces. However, this declaration of independence has not received real embodiment.

The "parade of sovereignties" in the Baltics was much more successful. In March 1990, the Lithuanian SSR announced its secession from the Soviet Union. In May, a similar procedure was repeated by the governments of the Estonian SSR and the Latvian SSR, and in August - by the Armenian SSR. In May 1991, the Georgian SSR announced the acceptance of independence to the world.

All other republics declared their sovereignty, that is, the priority of republican legislation over all-Union legislation. At the same time, they retained their membership in the USSR and did not yet proclaim their full independence.

An attempt to revive the Soviet Union was associated with an all-Union referendum, at which the question of preserving the USSR in a modified form was raised. Then the majority of citizens spoke in favor of preserving the Union, which made it possible to temporarily postpone the collapse of the state.

Post-putsch events

After the August putsch, the republics began mass proclamation of their independence. Already on August 24, 1991, the Ukrainian SSR did it. This was followed by the proclamation of the independence of the rest of the subjects of the USSR. The Kazakh SSR was the last to carry out this procedure (December 16, 1991). The only republics that did not declare their secession from the Soviet Union until its very final collapse were the RSFSR and the Byelorussian SSR, although they declared their sovereignty back in 1990.

The final collapse of the USSR

This is how the "parade of sovereignties" proceeded. The collapse of the USSR was a natural consequence of it. In fact, an end to the future of the country of the Soviets was raised at the end of 1991 at a meeting of the top officials of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Then agreements were developed on the liquidation of the USSR and the creation of an international association - the Union of Independent States. Later, the leaders of other republics joined this agreement.

Legally, the Soviet Union ceased to exist on December 26, 1991, when the Supreme Soviet dissolved itself, and the day before that the President of the country, Mikhail Gorbachev, resigned.

Consequences of the "parade of sovereignties"

The "parade of sovereignties" was the main driving force that led to the collapse of the USSR. Although the root causes of this phenomenon lay much deeper and were associated with the economic and managerial collapse, which at that time reigned in the Soviet Union.

The consequence of the "parade of sovereignties" was the formation of fifteen new states - the former union republics. In addition, this process has radically changed the geopolitical situation in the world. One of the two superpowers did not become, which turned world politics from bipolar to unipolar.

The newly formed powers had to build their own national states based on the emerging political realities. Nowhere was it easy, but in some countries everything went more or less smoothly and without massive bloodshed. In others, wars and armed conflicts still do not subside as a consequence of the “parade of sovereignties” and the collapse of the USSR.

Parade of sovereignty

The disintegration of the USSR began with the beginning of the disintegration of the CPSU. In 1989, the Lithuanian Communist Party withdrew from the CPSU. In the same years, from May 1988 to January 1991, declarations of independence or sovereignty were adopted in all union and autonomous republics. But the Baltic states have gone further. On March 11, 1990, Lithuania adopted the Act on the Restoration of State Independence. Soon, on June 12, 1990 at the First Congress of the bunkers. dep. The RSFSR adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the RSFSR. Bilateral treaties were concluded with the Baltic republics. Soon, four days later, the same Declaration was adopted by Ukraine. In October 1990, Yeltsin announced the disobedience of the RSFSR to the union authorities and the beginning of his own course of reforms. This decision was enshrined in law.

Soon, similar Declarations were adopted in the autonomous republics of the RSFSR (in Yakutia, TASSR, Chechnya, Bashkiria).

Novo-Ogaryov process

On June 24, a draft of a new union treaty was published. However, the Baltic republics refused to discuss it. The western regions of Ukraine and Moldova expressed a negative attitude towards the agreement. Similar sentiments reign in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia.
On March 17, at a referendum on the existence of the USSR, support was expressed for the union state (76%). On April 24, a preliminary 9 + 1 agreement was signed in Novo-Ogaryov. The signing of a new union treaty was scheduled for August 21. The new state was to become a confederation. Gorbachev was to become the new President, Nazarbayev - the Prime Minister.

On the eve of the signing of the contract, M.S. Gorbachev went on leave for the state. dacha Foros in Crimea.

DECAY OF THE USSR

On August 19, 1991, at 6 o'clock in the morning, the creation of the State Emergency Committee was announced. Vice-President of the USSR G.I. Yanaev announced the temporary assumption of the functions of the head of state. This was due to the illness of M.S. Gorbachev.

The Commission includes Prime Minister V.S. Pavlov, min. Defense Marshal D.T. Yazov, KGB V.A. Kryuchkov, min. ext. cases of BK Pugo and others. The circumstances of the creation of the Emergency Committee are poorly understood. Probably, all parties to this process were interested in this, both those who became members of the Commission and those who were temporarily removed from power. The actions of the Commission corresponded to the plan approved by MS Gorbachev back in the spring of 1991. At a meeting in Foros between the members of the Commission and the President of the USSR, Gorbachev did not oppose the GKChP measures, did not remove them from power, and even shook hands with them.

The members of the Commission motivated their actions by the non-compliance of the future treaty with the norms of the Constitution of the USSR, by the danger of disrupting the events scheduled for August 21 (Ukraine, for example, hesitated), by the desire to prevent the collapse of the USSR. However, the Commission's actions were poorly coordinated. Troops were brought into Moscow, but they were not given clear orders, did not explain the meaning of their location, did not issue ammunition. At the same time, the RSFSR Armed Forces began to re-subordinate the army, but no one opposed this. The highest command staff and commanders of military units began to change their oaths, recognizing B.N. Yeltsin as commander-in-chief. The supply and maintenance of the activities of the government of the RSFSR continued. The commission mobilized the army, but did not dare to send units and formations loyal to the oath to Moscow on the basis of military schools that supported the Emergency Committee. Mass rallies began in Moscow and Leningrad. Barricades were built spontaneously. Free food, alcohol, and water were brought to improvised gathering places for opposition youth and townspeople.

On August 20, Boris Yeltsin issued a decree banning the activities of the CPSU. The Plenum, scheduled for 20-21 August, did not take place.

By August 21, the opposition took the initiative into their own hands. On the night of 21 to 22, the President of the USSR returned to Moscow. On August 23, at a meeting of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, M.S. Gorbachev confirmed the legality of all the Decrees of B.N. Yeltsin.

By August 26, all members of the GKChP were arrested, the party buildings were taken away. Mirshal Akhromeev, manager affairs of the Central Committee of the CPSU Kruchin, min. ext. cases Pugo committed suicide. Yazov refused a pardon and got a trial. The court recognized the actions of the GKChP members as legal, and justified the actions of the GKChP members.

On September 2, M.S. Gorbachev announced the preparation of a new union treaty designed to create a Union of Sovereign States on a confederal basis. On the same days, the last Congress of the People took place. deputies of the USSR. A program of a new state structure for a transitional period was adopted and the State Council was created.

The first decision of the State. Council became the recognition of the independence of the Baltic republics. In August-September, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Armenia and Turkmenistan declared their independence. And on November 25, members of the State Council refused to sign the agreement written with their own participation.

On December 1, Ukraine declared its full independence, and 2 days later it was recognized by the RSFSR as an independent state. And already on December 8, under the conditions of secrecy at the dacha "Belovezhskaya Pushcha", the disintegration of the USSR was recognized and an agreement was signed on the creation of the CIS. A few days later, despite the statement of M.S. Gorbachev, the decisions of the Belovezhskaya agreement were ratified by the Armed Forces of the republics. For some time, Nazarbayev spoke out against the collapse of the USSR. On December 25, M.S. Gorbachev announced his resignation as President of the USSR. BN Yeltsin terminated the powers of the deputies of the USSR Armed Forces, the Russian flag was raised over the Kremlin.

The collapse of the Soviet system occurred later, in 1993, during the confrontation between the President of Russia and the Armed Forces of the RSFSR. The court found the actions of Boris Yeltsin unlawful. However, the President won the political confrontation. The new constitution of the RSFSR created new authorities, completely eliminating the Soviet form of democracy.

The first interethnic clashes

The modernization of the social and economic spheres took place in the context of the further democratization of Soviet society. M. Gorbachev initiated changes in relations between church and state. Several meetings of the Secretary General with representatives of various religious denominations took place. As a result, the activities of the Catholic Church, the Greek Catholic Church, and Protestant churches in the Baltic States were legalized. The celebration in 1988 of the 1000th anniversary of the baptism of Rus acquired a special scope.

New religious communities were registered in the country, religious educational institutions were opened, and the amount of religious literature increased. As part of the democratization of society, the return to believers of previously confiscated religious buildings and church property took place. A peculiar result of the USSR policy in the religious sphere was the adoption of the law "On freedom of conscience."

Finished works on a similar topic

Course work Parade of sovereignty in the USSR RUB 460
abstract Parade of sovereignty in the USSR 280 RUB
Test Parade of sovereignty in the USSR RUB 210

Already in December 1986, mass demonstrations of Kazakh youth took place in Kazakhstan, outraged by the resignation of D. Kunayev and the appointment of the Russian leader G. Kolbin to the post of head of the republic. These performances were quickly suppressed. But with each passing month, the protests on a national basis intensified.

In August 1987, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenians and Azerbaijanis began. It was also caused by mistakes in the party's personnel policy. The strengthening of rallies and demonstrations in Armenia and Azerbaijan was facilitated by the position of the central mass media, which the protesters called "extremists" and "nationalist-minded persons." As a result, up to 1 million people took part in the protests. The conflict gradually escalated, and on February 27-29, 1988, it escalated into mass pogroms with manifestations of ethnic violence, as a result of which dozens of people died in the city of Sumgait alone.

In the next two years, pogroms continued in the region, deportations of the population of individual villages took place. Even the introduction of a state of emergency could not stabilize the situation. The conflict developed into an armed confrontation and became one of the catalysts for the collapse of the USSR.

The growth of national contradictions actively took place in the Baltic republics. The first mass protests of the Soviet regime in the Baltics took place in the capital of Estonia, Tallinn, on August 23, 1987, during the celebration of another anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. A month later, this republic developed a program for achieving economic autonomy within the USSR. Mass rallies took place to support such initiatives. In April 1988, the Estonian People's Front political organization was created, which advocated the secession of the republic from the USSR. For the first time, this idea was openly proclaimed during the "Song of Estonia" festival in Tallinn on September 11, 1988. Almost a third of all residents of the republic (more than 300 thousand) attended it.

In June 1988, the Lithuanian Perestroika Movement (Sajudis) was created in Lithuania. Soon, this organization also announced its main task of gaining independence for its republic.

Mass protests took place in Western Ukrainian and Western Belarusian lands, which was also due to the celebration of the anniversary of the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. On the model of the Baltic republics, the organization "People's Movement of Ukraine for Perestroika" was created here in 1989 as well.

Among the main requirements of the participants in the national performances were:

immediate "termination of Russification",
appointment to leading positions in the republics of local representatives,
providing the republics with economic autonomy.

Remark 2

The protests became more and more widespread and finally completely got out of the control of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the leadership of the USSR. This was demonstrated by the clashes of protesters with the police and troops in Georgia, Lithuania, Latvia, the beginning of the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The process of sovereignization of the republics began.

In November 1988, the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR adopted amendments to its constitution, according to which the priority of republican legislation over all-Union legislation was enshrined. The Declaration of Estonian Sovereignty was proclaimed. A few days later, similar legislative initiatives were approved in Lithuania, and in May 1989 - in Latvia, in December 1989 - Azerbaijan, throughout 1990 - most of the republics, including in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (June 12, 1990).

The processes of gaining independence were especially active in the Baltics, Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova. In April 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR introduced the office of President of Russia and announced the first presidential elections. On June 12, 1991, B. Yeltsin was elected to him.

The "parade of sovereignties" became the prologue to the collapse of the USSR. This name in the journalism of those years was given to the process of sovereignization of the union republics. This process was initiated by the bloody events in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Transcaucasian region, Fergana, Sumgait, (1988), Baku, Dushanbe, Tbilisi, Sukhumi (1989), where bloody clashes took place on the basis of nationalist sentiments.

Within a few months, all the Union and most of the autonomous republics adopted declarations of their sovereignty, on the supremacy of republican laws over union ones. In their declarations, the republics declared themselves the owners of mineral resources and land. Some of them adopted a law on the state language, announced the creation of their own army, their own currency. As a result, instability increased in the republics. Attempts to resolve controversial issues by violent means became more frequent, hostility to national minorities grew, and human rights were violated.

The real danger of the collapse of the USSR forced the Union authorities and the authorities of the republics to seek a compromise. In 1988, the idea of concluding a new union treaty was put forward by the popular fronts of the Baltic republics. But until mid-1989, she did not find support from the country's leadership. It was only after centrifugal forces changed the Union that the central government realized the importance of the Union Treaty. On June 12, 1990, the Federation Council called for the creation of the Union of Sovereign States (UIT). With a possible combination of federation and confederation elements.

In March 1991, a referendum was held on the question of preserving the USSR. The majority of the population (71.3%) voted for the preservation of the USSR.

The main event that influenced all subsequent development of the country was the 1st Congress of People's Deputies of Russia. On June 12, 1990, the congress adopted the Declaration on the State Sovereignty of Russia. Following Russia, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan adopted declarations of sovereignty for several months. While it was a question of sovereignty within the USSR. The Council of the Baltic States did not consider it possible to participate in the development of a new union treaty.

On August 18-19, 1991, the draft of the new Union Treaty was sent to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the republics for discussion. Following the results of the referendum on the preservation of the USSR, it was decided to sign it on August 20, 1991.

Supporters of preserving the USSR in its previous position created the State Committee for Emergency Situations (GKChP) headed by the Vice-President of the USSR G. Yanaev. On August 18, a group of GKChP members, arriving in Foros, where M.S. Gorbachev, offered him to head the Emergency Committee, but Gorbachev declined.

On August 19, 1991, the State Emergency Committee declared Gorbachev incapacitated and announced the transfer of his powers to G. Yanaev. The State Emergency Committee announced the suspension of the activities of political parties and public organizations, the disbandment of power structures operating contrary to the Constitution of the USSR, the prohibition of rallies and demonstrations, and the establishment of control over the media.

President of the RSFR B.N. Yeltsin, Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFMR R. Khasbulatov, Chairman of the Government of the RSFSR I. Silaev, in response to the statement of the State Emergency Committee in his address "To the citizens of Russia", called the actions of the State Emergency Committee a reactionary, anti-constitutional coup and declared their actions illegal. B.N. Yeltsin, by his decrees, reassigned to himself all the authorities of the USSR, including the KGB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defense of the USSR.

In response, Acting President of the USSR G. Yanayev declared B. Yeltsin's decrees to be contrary to the Constitution of the USSR, and, therefore, have no legal force. Troops were brought into the capital.

As a result of the measures taken by the President of the RSFSR, the leaders of the Emergency Committee were arrested.

The August events hastened the collapse of the USSR. During August - December 1991, all union republics proclaimed themselves independent states. The meeting of the heads of three republics - Russia, Ukraine and Belarus (Yeltsin, Kravchuk, Shushkevich), held on December 8, 1991 in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, declared the collapse of the USSR as a fait accompli and announced the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

On December 21, 1991, in Alma-Ata, the rest of the former Soviet republics joined the CIS, except for the Baltic republics and the republic of Georgia. The heads of eleven states signed a declaration on the creation of the CIS, which noted the end of the existence of the USSR.

Questions for independent work:

1. Name the most important reasons for the collapse of the USSR and the consequences to which it led.

2.. Results and lessons of perestroika.

Literature:

Derevianko A.P., Shabelnikov N.A. Russian history. - M., 2006.

Recent history of Russia. T. 2. - M., 1998.

A.A. Radugin Russian history. - M., 2002.

On March 11, 1990, the Supreme Soviet of Lithuania voted to secede the republic from the Soviet Union, proclaimed its independence and canceled the all-Union Constitution on the territory of the republic. On March 17, supporters of the Popular Fronts won the elections to the Supreme Soviets of Latvia and Estonia; The USSR Council of Ministers immediately reacted by adopting economic sanctions against Lithuania, which forced the republic to temporarily abandon the declaration of independence in exchange for lifting the economic blockade.

On June 12, 1990, the 1st Congress of People's Deputies of the RSFSR proclaimed the sovereignty of Russia, which meant the supremacy of republican laws over all-Union ones. A chain reaction of the "parade of sovereignties" began in the republics. Until the end of the summer, sovereignty was proclaimed in Uzbekistan, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Tajikistan. In October, Kazakhstan adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty, and Kyrgyzstan proclaimed sovereignty in December.

On November 30, 1990, the image of the two-headed eagle was approved as the State Emblem of the Russian Federation. On June 12, 1991, the RSFSR held the first nationwide presidential elections. Already in the first round, Yeltsin won with 57.3 percent of the vote.

All these turbulent political events took place against the backdrop of a constantly deteriorating economic situation and an invariably growing shortage of goods: empty store shelves and huge queues have become an expressive sign of the times. The authorities tried unsuccessfully to stabilize the situation. In 1990, productive coupons were introduced, which actually became a surrogate for cards, but this did not help. On January 22, 1991, in an effort to restore state control over financial flows, the government canceled the circulation in the country of banknotes of the State Bank of the USSR in denominations of 50 and 100 rubles and limited the issuance of money with citizens' deposits in savings banks. This unpopular measure has irritated millions of people. On April 2, 1991, an increase in retail prices for consumer goods in transport was carried out. However, even a threefold increase in prices could not stabilize the ruble. The country was flooded with galloping information: by the end, the real purchasing power of 1 ruble of the 1961 sample was no more than 1 kopeck.

On April 23, 1991, Gorbachev and the leaders of the union republics of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, who gathered at the Novo-Ogaryovo government residence, adopted a "Joint statement on urgent measures to stabilize the situation in the country and overcome the crisis." This document provided for the conclusion of a new union treaty, the adoption of a new union constitution and the holding of elections to the union authorities after that. Despite the fact that the document was not signed by the leaders of the Baltic republics, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova, President Gorbachev expressed confidence that the USSR would retain the status of a great power, but with a different structure. On June 17, the draft of a new union treaty was agreed upon by Gorbachev and the leaders of the nine republics. The treaty guaranteed the sovereign republics jurisdiction over socio-economic life, they were given the opportunity to conduct foreign policy activities, if this activity did not violate the international obligations of the USSR. The state was renamed the Union of Soviet Sovereign Republics. However, the issue of the procedure for paying taxes to the union budget was not resolved, and the problem of the relationship between the statuses of the union and autonomous republics was not overcome. The signing of the agreement was scheduled for August 20.

On Monday, August 19, 1991, the media reported on the creation of the State Committee for a State of Emergency (GKChP) with the country, which assumed full power. Gorbachev, who was resting in Foros (Crimea), had his connection cut off, and he himself was actually removed from power. Troops and armored vehicles were brought into Moscow. The country regarded the actions of the State Emergency Committee as a coup d'etat. Tens of thousands of Muscovites took to the streets. The demonstrations took place on Manezhnaya Square and the period by the House of Soviets of the RSFSR - the White House. President of the RSFSR Yeltsin actually led the speech of the residents of the capital, called on the population to resist the coup attempt and read out an appeal "To the citizens of Russia": all decisions of the State Emergency Committee were outlawed. Barricades were erected near the building of the White Scrap. A tricolor flag was raised over the barricades - the tricolor. The leaders of the Emergency Committee did not dare to give the order to storm the White House and on August 21 announced the withdrawal of troops. By the end of the day, the leaders of the Emergency Committee were arrested. Muscovites filled the city center and demolished the Dzerzhinsky monument on Lubyanka Square. The next day, Gorbachev returned to Moscow.

On August 22, by the Decree of the President of the RSFSR Yeltsin, the tricolor cloth was approved as the State Flag of the Russian Federation. On August 23, Yeltsin signed, signed a decree on the transfer of enterprises of union subordination, located on the territory of the republic, to the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. This provided the economic basis for the country's sovereignty. On the same day, Yeltsin announced the suspension of the activities of the Communist Party in Russia. On November 6, by presidential decree, the activities of the CPSU and the Communist Party of the RSFSR were terminated, and their organizational structures were disbanded. The failure of the coup was a powerful catalyst for centripetal tendencies. Local power began to pass to the republican leaders, the republics began to declare their independence one after another.

On September 6, at a meeting of the State Council (the highest governing body of the country), it was decided to recognize the independence of the Baltic republics, proclaimed by Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia back in 1990. On December 1, Ukraine held presidential elections and a referendum on independence: 90.32 percent of voters voted for independence. Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk announced the denunciation by Ukraine of the 1922 treaty on the creation of the USSR. On Sunday, December 8, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, gathered in Belovezhskaya Pushcha (Belarus), signed an agreement on the termination of the existence of the USSR and the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. On December 21, the leaders of 11 sovereign states met in Alma-Ata and signed the CIS Declaration. The leaders of the Baltic states and Georgia were not present at the meeting. President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev announced that the USSR no longer exists. On December 25, Gorbachev resigned from the post of President of the USSR. At 19 hours 30 minutes, the state flag of the USSR was lowered over the Kremlin and the Russian tricolor was raised.

The muse of history, Clio, has turned another page in her book. The history of democratic Russia began with a clean slate. Ahead were disappointments and disasters, the threat of the disintegration of the country and the danger of new turmoil, the bitterness of defeat and the happiness of victory. Ahead was the return of Russia to the status of a great power. Ahead were new pages of great history.

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, referring to Emperor Alexander I in his "Note on ancient and new Russia in its political and civil relations," wrote on the eve of Napoleon's invasion of the Russian Empire: broadcasting history. A prudent system in life continues the age of man, - a prudent state system continues the age of the state; who will count the coming summers of Russia? I hear the prophets of near-ending disaster, but, thanks to the Almighty, my heart does not believe them - I see danger, but I still don’t see destruction! ”