On December 4, 1991, the Soviet Union, one of the worlds largest superpowers, officially dissolved after years of economic turmoil and political instability. The collapse of the USSR resulted in the formation of 15 independent republics, including Russia, Ukraine, and the Baltic states. The end of the Soviet Union marked a major shift in global geopolitics and led to the emergence of new economic and political systems in the former Soviet republics. The transition also led to widespread economic hardship and social changes across the region.