Republics of the Soviet Union

Soviet Socialist Republic
	1. Armenia; 2. Azerbaijan; 3. Byelorussia; 4. Estonia; 5. Georgia; 6. Kazakhstan; 7. Kirghizia; 8. Latvia; 9. Lithuania; 10. Moldavia; 11. Russian SFSR; 12. Tajikistan; 13. Turkmenia; 14. Ukraine; 15. Uzbekistan;
	1. Armenia; 2. Azerbaijan; 3. Byelorussia; 4. Estonia; 5. Georgia; 6. Kazakhstan; 7. Kirghizia; 8. Latvia; 9. Lithuania; 10. Moldavia; 11. Russian SFSR; 12. Tajikistan; 13. Turkmenia; 14. Ukraine; 15. Uzbekistan;
Category	Federated state
Location	Soviet Union
Created by	Treaty on the Creation of the USSR
Created	30 December 1922
Abolished by	State Council recognition of the Baltic states independence; Declaration no. 142-Н
Abolished	6 September 1991; 26 December 1991
Number	15 (as of 1989)
Possible status	The Baltic republics were de jure not recognized by several countries.
Populations	1,565,662 (Estonia) – 147,386,000 (Russian SFSR)
Areas	29,800 km2 (11,500 sq mi) (Armenia) – 17,075,400 km2 (6,592,800 sq mi) (Russian SFSR)
Government	Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party socialist republics
Subdivisions	Autonomous SSRs, oblasts, Autonomous oblasts,

The Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics (Russian: Сою́зные Респу́блики, tr. Sojúznyje Respúbliki) of the Soviet Union were ethnically based proto-states that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union.^[1] For most of its history, the Soviet Union was a highly centralized state; the decentralization reforms during the era of Perestroika ("Restructuring") and Glasnost ("Openness") conducted by Mikhail Gorbachev is cited as one of the factors which led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Overview[edit]

According to Article 76 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution, a Union Republic was a sovereign Soviet socialist state that had united with other Soviet Republics in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Article 81 of the Constitution stated that "the sovereign rights of Union Republics shall be safeguarded by the USSR".^[2]

In the final decades of its existence, the Soviet Union officially consisted of fifteen Soviet Socialist Republics (SSRs). All of them, with the exception of the Russian Federation (until 1990), had their own local party chapters of the All-Union Communist Party.

Outside the territory of the Russian Federation, the republics were constituted mostly in lands that had formerly belonged to the Russian Empire and had been acquired by it between the 1700 Great Northern War and the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907.

In 1944, amendments to the All-Union Constitution allowed for separate branches of the Red Army for each Soviet Republic. They also allowed for Republic-level commissariats for foreign affairs and defense, allowing them to be recognized as de jure independent states in international law. This allowed for two Soviet Republics, Ukraine and Byelorussia, (as well as the USSR as a whole) to join the United Nations General Assembly as founding members in 1945.^[3]^[4]^[5]

All of the former Republics of the Union are now independent countries, with ten of them (all except the Baltic states, Georgia and Ukraine) being very loosely organized under the heading of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Constitutionally, the Soviet Union was a federation. In accordance with provisions present in the Constitution (versions adopted in 1924, 1936 and 1977), each republic retained the right to secede from the USSR. Throughout the Cold War, this right was widely considered to be meaningless; however, the corresponding Article 72 of the 1977 Constitution was used in December 1991 to effectively dissolve the Soviet Union, when Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus seceded from the Union.

In practice, the USSR was a highly centralised entity from its creation in 1922 until the mid-1980s when political forces unleashed by reforms undertaken by Mikhail Gorbachev resulted in the loosening of central control and its ultimate dissolution. Under the constitution adopted in 1936 and modified along the way until October 1977, the political foundation of the Soviet Union was formed by the Soviets (Councils) of People's Deputies. These existed at all levels of the administrative hierarchy, with the Soviet Union as a whole under the nominal control of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, located in Moscow within the Russian Federation.

Along with the state administrative hierarchy, there existed a parallel structure of party organizations, which allowed the Politburo to exercise large amounts of control over the republics. State administrative organs took direction from the parallel party organs, and appointments of all party and state officials required approval of the central organs of the party.

Each republic had its own unique set of state symbols: a flag, a coat of arms, and, with the exception of Russia until 1990, an anthem. Every republic of the Soviet Union also was awarded with the Order of Lenin.

A hall in Bishkek's Soviet-era Lenin Museum decorated with the flags of Soviet Republics
Poster of the unity of the Soviet republics in the late 1930s. All republics, except Russia, are shown with their respective traditional clothes.
Poster of the unity of the Soviet republics in the late 1940s. Note that the map also points out the Karelo-Finnish SSR capital, Petrozavodsk.

Union Republics of the Soviet Union[edit]

The number of the union republics of the USSR varied from 4 to 16. In majority of years and at the later decades of its existence, the Soviet Union consisted of 15 Soviet Socialist Republics. Rather than listing the republics in alphabetical order, the republics were listed in constitutional order, which, particularly by the last decades of the Soviet Union, did not correspond to order either by population or economic power.

Map of the Union Republics from 1956 to 1991
Soviet Socialist Republic	Emblem	Flag	Region	Subregion	Capital	Official Languages(s)	Titular nationality	Member from	Independence date	New Constitution adopted	Population (1989)	Pop./USSR pop. (%)	Area (km²) (1991)	Area/USSR area (%)	Independent state	No.
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian: Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика)			Eurasia	Eastern Europe / West Asia	Moscow	Russian	Russian	1922	December 12, 1991	December 12, 1993	7008147386000000000♠147,386,000	7001514000000000000♠51.40	7007170754000000000♠17,075,400	7001766200000000000♠76.62	Russian Federation	11
Ukraine (Ukrainian: Україна) (Russian: Украина) Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (Українська Радянська Соціалістична Республіка) (Украинская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Europe	Eastern Europe	Kiev (Kharkiv before 1934)	Ukrainian, Russian	Ukrainian	1922	16 July 1990 (declaration of sovereignty) 24 August 1991 (independence declaration)	28 June 1996	7007517067460000000♠51,706,746	7001180300000000000♠18.03	7005603700000000000♠603,700	7000271000000000000♠2.71	Ukraine	14
Byelorussia (Byelorussian: Беларусь) (Russian: Белоруссия) Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (Беларуская Савецкая Сацыялістычная Рэспубліка) (Белорусская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Europe	Eastern Europe	Minsk	Blyelorussian, Russian	Byelorussian	1922	27 July 1990 (declaration of sovereignty) 25 August 1991 (independence declaration)	15 March 1994	7007101518060000000♠10,151,806	7000354000000000000♠3.54	7005207600000000000♠207,600	6999930000000000000♠0.93	Belarus	3
Armenia (Armenian: Հայաստան) (Russian: Армения) Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (Հայկական Սովետական Սոցիալիստական Հանրապետություն) (Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Eurasia	Caucasus	Yerevan	Armenian, Russian	Armenian	1922	August 23, 1990 (declaration of sovereignty) 21 September 1991 (independence declaration)	July 5, 1995	7006328770000000000♠3,287,700	7000115000000099999♠1.15	7004298000000000000♠29,800	6999130000000000000♠0.13	Armenia	1
Georgia (Georgian: საქართველო) (Russian: Грузия) Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (საქართველოს საბჭოთა სოციალისტური რესპუბლიკა) (Грузинская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Eurasia	Caucasus	Tbilisi	Georgian, Russian	Georgian	1922	18 November 1989 (declaration of sovereignty) 9 April 1991 (independence declaration)	24 August 1995	7006540084100000000♠5,400,841	7000188000000000000♠1.88	7004697000000000000♠69,700	6999310000000000000♠0.31	Georgia Abkhazia South Ossetia	5
Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Азәрбајҹан) (Russian: Азербайджан) Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (Азәрбајҹан Совет Сосиалист Республикасы) (Азербайджанская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Eurasia	Caucasus	Baku	Azerbaijani, Russian	Azerbaijani	1922	30 August 1991 (independence declaration) 18 October 1991 (independence restoration)	12 November 1995	7006703790000000000♠7,037,900	7000245000000000000♠2.45	7004866000000000000♠86,600	6999390000000000000♠0.39	Azerbaijan Artsakh	2
Lithuania^[a] (Lithuanian: Lietuva) (Russian: Литва) Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lietuvos Tarybų Socialistinė Respublika) (Литовская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Europe	Northern Europe (Baltic Region)	Vilnius	Lithuanian, Russian	Lithuanian	1940	18 May 1989 (declaration of sovereignty) 11 March 1990 (independence declaration)	25 October 1992	7006368977900000000♠3,689,779	7000129000000000000♠1.29	7004652000000000000♠65,200	6999289990000000000♠0.29	Lithuania	9
Latvia^[a] (Latvian: Latvija) (Russian: Латвия) Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Latvijas Padomju Sociālistiskā Republika) (Латвийская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Europe	Northern Europe (Baltic Region)	Riga	Latvian, Russian	Latvian	1940	4 May 1990 (Declared Restoration of Independence) 21 August 1991 (end of the transitional period)	6 July 1993 (full restoration of the 1922 Constitution)	7006266656700000000♠2,666,567	6999930000000000000♠0.93	7004645890000000000♠64,589	6999289990000000000♠0.29	Latvia	8
Estonia^[a] (Estonian: Eesti) (Russian: Эстония) Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik) (Эстонская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Europe	Northern Europe (Baltic Region)	Tallinn	Estonian, Russian	Estonian	1940	November 16, 1988 (Sovereignty Declaration) August 20, 1991 (restoration of Independence)	28 June 1992	7006156566200000000♠1,565,662	6999550000000000000♠0.55	7004452260000000000♠45,226	6999200000000000000♠0.20	Estonia	4
Moldavia (Moldavian: Молдова) (Russian: Молдавия) Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (Република Советикэ Сочиалистэ Молдовеняскэ) (Молдавская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Europe	Eastern Europe	Kishinev	Moldavian, Russian	Moldavian	1940	June 23, 1990 (Declaration of Sovereignty) August 27, 1991 (Declaration of Independence)	July 29, 1994	7006433760000000000♠4,337,600	7000151000000000000♠1.51	7004338430000000000♠33,843	6999150000000000000♠0.15	Moldova Transnistria	10
Kazakhstan (Kazakh: Қазақстан) (Russian: Казахстан) Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (Қазақ Кеңестік (Советтік) Социалистік Республикасы) (Казахская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Eurasia	Central Asia / Eastern Europe	Alma-Ata	Kazakh, Russian	Kazakh	1936	October 25, 1990 (declaration of sovereignty) 10 December 1991 (declaration of independence)	28 January 1993	7007167119000000000♠16,711,900	7000583000000000000♠5.83	7006271730000000000♠2,717,300	7001122400000000000♠12.24	Kazakhstan	6
Kirghizia (Kirghiz: Кыргызстан) (Russian: Киргизия) Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic (Кыргыз Советтик Социалисттик Республикасы) (Киргизская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Asia	Central Asia	Frunze	Kirghiz, Russian	Kirghiz	1936	15 December 1990 (declaration of sovereignty) 31 August 1991 (declaration of independence)	5 May 1993	7006425780000000000♠4,257,800	7000148000000000000♠1.48	7005198500000000000♠198,500	6999890000000000000♠0.89	Kyrgyzstan	7
Uzbekistan (Uzbek: Ўзбекистон) (Russian: Узбекистан) Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Ўзбекистон Совет Социалистик Республикаси) (Узбекская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Asia	Central Asia	Tashkent (Samarkand before 1930)	Uzbek, Russian	Uzbek	1924	20 June 1990 (declaration of sovereignty) 31 August 1991 (declaration of independence)	8 December 1992	7007199060000000000♠19,906,000	7000694000000000000♠6.94	7005447400000000000♠447,400	7000200999999999999♠2.01	Uzbekistan	15
Turkmenia (Turkmen: Түркменистан) (Russian: Туркмения) Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Түркменистан Совет Социалистик Республикасы) (Туркменская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Asia	Central Asia	Ashkhabad	Turkmen, Russian	Turkmen	1924	22 August 1990 (declaration of sovereignty) 27 October 1991 (declaration of independence)	18 May 1992	7006352270000000000♠3,522,700	7000123000000000000♠1.23	7005488100000000000♠488,100	7000219000000000000♠2.19	Turkmenistan	13
Tajikistan (Tajik: Тоҷикистон) (Russian: Таджикистан) Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Республикаи Советии Социалистии Тоҷикистон) (Таджикская Советская Социалистическая Республика)			Asia	Central Asia	Dushanbe	Tajik, Russian	Tajik	1929	24 August 1990 (declaration of sovereignty) 9 September 1991 (declaration of independence)	6 November 1994	7006511200000000000♠5,112,000	7000178000000000000♠1.78	7005143100000000000♠143,100	6999640000000000000♠0.64	Tajikistan	12

Former Union Republics of the Soviet Union[edit]

Soviet Socialist Republic	Continent	Capital	Titular nationality	Years of membership	Population	Area (km²)	Independent state
Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic (Карело-Финская Советская Социалистическая Республика) (Karjalais-suomalainen sosialistinen neuvostotasavalta)	Europe	Petrozavodsk	Karelians	1940–1956 1990-1991	651,300 (1959)	172,400	Russian Federation
Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (Անդրկովկասի Խորհրդային Սոցիալիստական Դաշնային (Ֆեդերատիվ) Հանրապետություն) (Zaqafqaziya Sosialist Federativ Sovet Respublikası) (ამიერკავკასიის საბჭოთა ფედერაციული სოციალისტური რესპუბლიკა) (Закавказская Социалистическая Федеративная Советская Республика)	Europe/ Asia	Tiflis	Azeris, Armenians, Georgians	1922–1936	5,861,600 (1926)	186,100	Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan
Bukharan People's Soviet Republic (Buxoro Xalq Shoʻro Jumhuriyati) (Бухарская Народная Советская Республика)	Asia	Bukhara	Uzbeks Tajiks Turkmens	1920–1925	2,000,000	182,193	Uzbekistan Tajikistan Turkmenistan
Khorezm People's Soviet Republic (Xorazm Xalq Sho'ro Jumhuriyati) (Хорезмская Народная Советская Республика)	Asia	Khiva	Uzbeks Turkmens	1920–1925	800,000	62,200	Uzbekistan Turkmenistan

Other non-union Soviet republics[edit]

The Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia, in the winter of 1919
The Lithuanian–Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in 1919 but fell very soon.
The Galician Soviet Socialist Republic
The Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic
The Don Soviet Republic
The Kuban Soviet Republic
The Kuban-Black Sea Soviet Republic
The Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1918–19)
The Mughan Soviet Republic
The Soviet Republic of Naissaar
The Odessa Soviet Republic
The North Caucasian Soviet Republic
The Stavropol Soviet Republic
The Taurida Soviet Socialist Republic
The Terek Soviet Republic
The Ukrainian People's Republic of Soviets
The Ukrainian Soviet Republic
The Black Sea Soviet Republic
The Far Eastern Republic existed in 1920-1922 as a formally independent state, was de facto under Soviet control.
The Persian Socialist Soviet Republic, in what is now Iran.
The Slovak Soviet Republic
The Bavarian Soviet Republic
The Bremen Soviet Republic
The Hungarian Soviet Republic
The Limerick Soviet
The Chinese Soviet Republic

The Turkestan Soviet Federative Republic was proclaimed in 1918 but did not survive to the founding of the USSR, becoming the short-lived Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of the RSFSR. The Crimean Soviet Socialist Republic (Soviet Socialist Republic of Taurida) was also proclaimed in 1918, but did not became a union republic and was made into an autonomous republic of the RSFSR, although the Crimean Tatars had a relative majority until the 1930s or 1940s according to censuses. When the Tuvan People's Republic joined the Soviet Union in 1944, it did not become a union republic, and was instead established as an autonomous republic of the RSFSR.

The leader of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, Todor Zhivkov, suggested in the early 1960s that the country should become a union republic, but the offer was rejected.^[14]^[15]^[16] During the Soviet–Afghan War, the Soviet Union proposed to annex the Northern Afghanistan as its 16th union republic in what was to become the Afghan Soviet Socialist Republic.^[17]

Unrealized Soviet states[edit]

The Bessarabian Soviet Socialist Republic
The Provisional Polish Revolutionary Committee
The Korean ASSR

Workers' communes[edit]

The Volga Germans Workers' Commune
The Estland Workers' Commune
The Karelian Workers' Commune
The Petrograd Workers' Commune, later the Northern Oblast Communes Association

Autonomous Republics of the Soviet Union[edit]

Several of the Union Republics themselves, most notably Russia, were further subdivided into Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics (ASSRs). Though administratively part of their respective Union Republics, ASSRs were also established based on ethnic/cultural lines.

Map	Soviet Socialist Republic	Emblem	Flag	Continent	Capital	Titular nationality	Years of membership	Population	Area (km²)	Independent state
	Volga German Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (Автономная Советская Социалистическая Республика Немцев Поволжья) (Volga German Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic)			Europe	Engels	Soviet Germans	1940–1956	606,532 (1939)	27,400	Russian Federation

The republics at the dissolution of the Soviet Union[edit]

Country emblems of the Union republics, before and after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Note that the Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (fifth in the second row) no longer exists as a political entity of any kind, and the emblem is unofficial.

Under Mikhail Gorbachev, openness and restructuring were intended to liberalise and open up the Soviet Union. However, they had a number of effects which caused the power of the republics to increase. First, political liberalization allowed the governments within the republics to gain legitimacy by invoking democracy, nationalism, or a combination of both. In addition, liberalization led to fractures within the Communist Party which resulted in reduced ability to govern the Union effectively. The rise of nationalist and right-wing movements, notably led in Russia by Boris Yeltsin, in the previously homogeneously Communist political system led to the crumbling of the Union's foundations. With the central role of the Communist Party removed from the constitution, the Communist Party lost its control over the political system and was banned from operating after an attempted coup d'état.

Throughout the unravelling of the Restructuring, the Soviet government attempted to find a new structure which would reflect the increasing power of the republics. Some autonomous republics, like Tatarstan, Checheno-Ingushetia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Crimea, Transnistria, Gagauzia sought the union statute in New Union Treaty. Efforts of foundation of Union of Sovereign States proved unsuccessful and the republics began to secede from the Union. By 6 September 1991, the Soviet Union's State Council recognized the independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania bringing the number of union republics down to 12. On 8 December 1991, the remaining republic leaders signed the Belavezha Accords which agreed that the USSR would be dissolved and replaced with a Commonwealth of Independent States. On 25 December, President Gorbachev announced his resignation and turned all executive powers over to Yeltsin. The next day the Council of Republics voted to dissolve the Union. Since then, the republics have been governed independently with some adopting significantly more liberal policies while others, particularly in Central Asia, retain leadership personnel from the Soviet time to this day.

Notes[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f The annexation of the Baltic republics in 1940 is considered an illegal occupation by the current Baltic governments and by a number of Western countries, including the United States and the European Union.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13] The Soviet Union considered the initial annexation legal, but officially recognized their independence on September 6, 1991, three months prior to its final dissolution

References[edit]

^ Hough, Jerry F (1997). Democratization and revolution in the USSR, 1985-1991. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0-8157-3749-1.
^ Federalism and the Dictatorship of Power in Russia By Mikhail Stoliarov. Taylor & Francis. 2014. p. 56. ISBN 0-415-30153-X. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
^ "Walter Duranty Explains Changes In Soviet Constitution,". Miami News. News.google.com. 1944-02-06. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
^ "League of Nations Timeline - Chronology 1944". Indiana.edu. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
^ "United Nations - Founding Members". Un.org. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
^ Cite error: The named reference Latvia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference EU was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Court was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference UN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference USA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ European parliament: Resolution on the situation in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (No C 42/78) (1983). Official Journal of the European Communities. European Parliament.
^ Aust, Anthony (2005). Handbook of International Law. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-53034-7.
^ Ziemele, Ineta (2005). State Continuity and Nationality: The Baltic States and Russia. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. ISBN 90-04-14295-9.
^ Elster, Jon (1996). The roundtable talks and the breakdown of communism. University of Chicago Press. p. 179. ISBN 0-226-20628-9.
^ Held, Joseph (1994). Dictionary of East European history since 1945. Greenwood Press. p. 84. ISBN 0-313-26519-4.
^ Gökay, Bülent (2001). Eastern Europe since 1970. Longman. p. 19. ISBN 0-582-32858-6.
^ Soviets may be poised to annex the Afghan North - Chicago Tribune. August 19, 1984. Retrieved on December 10, 2016. "Miraki said then-Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev urged Afghan President Babrak Karmal to win Afghan Communist Party approval for Moscow's annexation of eight northern provinces and their formation into the 16th Soviet republic, the Socialist Republic of Afghanistan. The defector said Brezhnev envisioned the southern half of the country as a powerless, Pa-than-speaking buffer with U.S.-backed Pakistan."

[Baltic_states_status-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f The annexation of the Baltic republics in 1940 is considered an illegal occupation by the current Baltic governments and by a number of Western countries, including the United States and the European Union.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13] The Soviet Union considered the initial annexation legal, but officially recognized their independence on September 6, 1991, three months prior to its final dissolution

[2] Hough, Jerry F (1997). Democratization and revolution in the USSR, 1985-1991. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0-8157-3749-1.

[3] Federalism and the Dictatorship of Power in Russia By Mikhail Stoliarov. Taylor & Francis. 2014. p. 56. ISBN 0-415-30153-X. Retrieved 2014-02-18.

[4] "Walter Duranty Explains Changes In Soviet Constitution,". Miami News. News.google.com. 1944-02-06. Retrieved 2014-02-18.

[5] "League of Nations Timeline - Chronology 1944". Indiana.edu. Retrieved 2014-02-18.

[6] "United Nations - Founding Members". Un.org. Retrieved 2014-02-18.

[Latvia-7] Cite error: The named reference Latvia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[EU-8] Cite error: The named reference EU was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Court-9] Cite error: The named reference Court was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[UN-10] Cite error: The named reference UN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[USA-11] Cite error: The named reference USA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[12] European parliament: Resolution on the situation in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (No C 42/78) (1983). Official Journal of the European Communities. European Parliament.

[13] Aust, Anthony (2005). Handbook of International Law. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-53034-7.

[14] Ziemele, Ineta (2005). State Continuity and Nationality: The Baltic States and Russia. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. ISBN 90-04-14295-9.

[15] Elster, Jon (1996). The roundtable talks and the breakdown of communism. University of Chicago Press. p. 179. ISBN 0-226-20628-9.

[16] Held, Joseph (1994). Dictionary of East European history since 1945. Greenwood Press. p. 84. ISBN 0-313-26519-4.

[17] Gökay, Bülent (2001). Eastern Europe since 1970. Longman. p. 19. ISBN 0-582-32858-6.

[18] Soviets may be poised to annex the Afghan North - Chicago Tribune. August 19, 1984. Retrieved on December 10, 2016. "Miraki said then-Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev urged Afghan President Babrak Karmal to win Afghan Communist Party approval for Moscow's annexation of eight northern provinces and their formation into the 16th Soviet republic, the Socialist Republic of Afghanistan. The defector said Brezhnev envisioned the southern half of the country as a powerless, Pa-than-speaking buffer with U.S.-backed Pakistan."

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[6]

[7]

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v t e Republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922–1991)
Principal	Armenia Azerbaijan Byelorussia Estonia¹ Georgia Kazakhstan Kirghizia Latvia¹ Lithuania¹ Moldavia Russian SFSR Tajikistan Turkmenia Ukraine Uzbekistan
Short-lived	Karelo-Finnish SSR (1940–1956) Transcaucasian SFSR (1922–1936)
Non-union republics	SSR Abkhazia (1921–1931) Bukharan SSR (1920–1925) Khorezm SSR (1920–1925) Nakhichevan ASSR (1920–1923) Pridnestrovian Moldavian SSR (1990–1991) South Ossetian SR (1990–1991)
¹The annexation of the Baltic republics in 1940 was considered as an illegal occupation and was not recognized by the majority of the international community such as the United States, United Kingdom and the European Community. The Soviet Union officially recognized their independence on September 6, 1991, prior to its final dissolution three months later.