The Soviet Union ended in stages in 1991: a failed coup in August, Ukraine's independence vote on 1 December, the Belavezha Accords on 8 December, Gorbachev's…
Turnout was 80.03% and 77.85% voted yes on a renewed federation, but six republics boycotted the vote.
Boris Yeltsin won Russia's first direct presidential election with roughly 57% to 59% of the vote.
An emergency committee announced rule while Gorbachev was held in Crimea. Tanks entered Moscow and Yeltsin led the resistance.
Troops left Moscow on 21 August and the committee was dissolved. Gorbachev landed back in Moscow at about 2 am on 22 August.
Ukraine's parliament adopted the Act of Independence on 24 August 1991, to be confirmed by a referendum on 1 December.
About 84% of voters took part and over 90% of participants backed independence; Kravchuk won the presidency with about 60%.
Yeltsin, Kravchuk and Shushkevich said the USSR was ceasing its existence and created the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Leaders of 11 republics confirmed the end of the Soviet Union. Georgia and the Baltic states did not take part.
Gorbachev resigned in a televised address and passed his powers to Yeltsin. The Soviet flag was lowered over the Kremlin that evening.
The Soviet of the Republics adopted Declaration No. 142-N, acknowledging that the Union had ceased to exist.
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