Translated material
Collapse chronicle
1991. Chronicle of the collapse of January 11–13. Tanks and armored personnel carriers were introduced into the center of Vilnius, an attempt to capture the television center was made. 13 people from among the townspeople who came to protect the television center were killed.
January 14. In Moscow, a rally of democratic forces was held in support of Lithuania (according to various information, from 100 thousand to 500 thousand people gathered).
January 23–25. Cash reform. The bills were removed from the appeal of 50 and 100 rubles of the 1961 model. At the same time, the possibility of exchange of bills was limited: no more than 1000 rubles. At the same time, the amount of cash available for withdrawal in Sberbank was limited: not more than 500 rubles.
February 9. A referendum was held in Lithuania (“Electoral Consultation”). 84% of citizens of the republic took part in the vote. Of these, 90.4% spoke out for an independent Democratic Republic of Lithuania.
February 25. The Budapest statement of the states - participants of the Warsaw Treaty was adopted, which announced the abolition of military bodies and structures of the Blok by March 31, 1991. The mass conclusion of the Soviet troops from Europe began.
March 3. In Latvia, a "electoral consultation" was held. 73.7% of those who voted (87.6% of the population) spoke out for independence.
A referendum was held in Estonia. 78% of voting participants (83% of the population) spoke out for independence.
March 17. All -Union referendum on the preservation of the USSR. Of the 185.6 million citizens, 148.5 million (79.5%) took part in it. For - 113.5 million (77.85%) voted, against - 32.3 (22.15%).
The governments of the Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, Georgian, Moldavian and Armenian SSR did not support the holding of a referendum. In the RSFSR, during the referendum, the question was raised about the introduction of the President’s post in the Republic.
March 28. Despite the ban by the authorities caused by the discovery of the III (extraordinary) congress of people's deputies of the RSFSR, a mass rally (according to various information, from 200 thousand to 500 thousand people) in support of Yeltsin was held in Moscow.
March 31. A republican referendum was held in Georgia on the issue of withdrawing the republic from the USSR. 99.08% of participants (90.79% of the population) spoke out for independence.
June 12. During the vote, Boris Yeltsin, who gained 57.3% of the vote, was elected President of the RSFSR.
June 28. In the Budapest of the country - members of the CMEA (Council of Economic mutual assistance): Bulgaria, Hungary, Vietnam, Cuba, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, the USSR and Czechoslovakia - signed a protocol on the disbandment of the organization.
August 15. A draft agreement on the creation of the Union of Sovereign States is published - as an attempt to reform the USSR. The signing is scheduled for August 20. Its members of the fifteen union republics were supposed to become its members: Belarusian, Kazakhstan, RSFSR, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In the fall, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Turkmenistan were planned in the fall.
August 19–21. Introduction of the GKChP. An attempt by a coup.
August 24. The act of proclamation of the independence of Ukraine was adopted, later confirmed at the referendum on December 1 as a popular vote. 84.18% of voters took part in it, 90.32% spoke in favor.
August 27. The independence of Belarus and Moldova has been proclaimed.
August 31. The independence of Kyrgyzstan has been declared.
September 1. The independence of Uzbekistan has been declared.
September 9th. The independence of Tajikistan has been declared.
On September 21, a referendum was held in Armenia regarding the country's independence. 99% of the voting 95% of citizens of the republic) spoke for.
On September 29, according to the results of the referendum, Armenia announces independence.
October 18. The independence of Azerbaijan has been declared.
October 27. The independence of Turkmenistan has been declared.
November 6. By decree of Yeltsin, the activities of the CPSU in the RSFSR were suspended. Party property is confiscated.
Created the "Government of Yeltsin - Haidar." The beginning of the market
reforms in the RSFSR.
December 8th. The Belovezhsky agreement was signed. Belarus, Russia, Ukraine as countries that founded the USSR announce the denunciation of the Treaty on the Education of the USSR of December 30, 1922 and the creation of the Union of Independent States (CIS).
December 16th. The independence of Kazakhstan has been declared.
December 25th. Mikhail Gorbachev announced his resignation from the post of president of the USSR. The flag of the USSR is launched over the Kremlin and a Russian tricolor is raised.
The material was prepared by Andrey Martynov