1991 in the Soviet Union

The following lists events that happened during 1991 in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

← 1990 1989 1988 1991 in the Soviet Union → 1992 1993 1994
Decades:	1970s 1980s 1990s
See also:	Other events of 1991 History of the Soviet Union

The Soviet Union had a transitional government in 1991, during the fall of communism. Every republic in the union had growing nationalism until Christmas of 1991 when Mikhail Gorbachev, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and President of the Soviet Union, abandoned the Union at the time of its dissolution. The dissolution created huge changes in politics and territorial claims. NATO scaled back its presence following the dissolution.

Incumbents

• President of the Soviet Union – Mikhail Gorbachev (until 25 December)
• General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union – Mikhail Gorbachev (until 24 August), Vladimir Ivashko (24–29 August)
• Chairman of the Supreme Soviet – Mikhail Gorbachev
• Vice President of the Soviet Union – Gennady Yanayev (until 25 December)
• Premier of the Soviet Union –
  • until 14 January – Nikolai Ryzhkov
  • 14 January - 22 August – Valentin Pavlov
  • 22 August - 6 September – vacant
  • 6 September - 26 December – Ivan Silayev

Events

January

January Events (Lithuania)

March

1991 Soviet Union referendum

July

George H.W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev sign START I treaty in Moscow

August

• August 19 - 22 - 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt

December

• December 26 - Dissolution of the Soviet Union

Deaths

• April 7 – Oleg Babak, Soviet army officer (born 1967)

See also

• 1991 in fine arts of the Soviet Union
• List of Soviet films of 1980-91