1991 Resignation of Mikhail Gorbachev from the post of President of the USSR

25 years ago, on December 25, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev announced that in connection with the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, he would cease his activities as president of the USSR for reasons of principle. He also signed a decree on the resignation of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the USSR. At 19:38, instead of the national flag of the USSR, the flag of the Russian Federation was raised over the residence of the President of the USSR in the Kremlin.