Last day of Soviet Union

On this date, December 26, 1991 the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union met to dissolve the Soviet Union.

It came into being in 1922. In 1917 the Bolsheviks under Vladimir Lenin overthrew the Provisional government which had replaced the Tzar.

The population in 1991 was approximately 293 million and the  Soviet Union covered a landmass of 22.4 million square kilometres, spanning 12 time zones.

It's highpoint was the Red Army victory over Germany in World War II. Over 20 million Russians lost their lives in that war.

It is generally agreed that the victory of Zhukov's army at Stalingrad was the turning point in the defeat of Germany.

The graphic below shows the size of the Soviet Union in 1945.