On December 25, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev announced his resignation as President of the Soviet Union, marking the end of an era. That night, the Soviet flag was lowered from the Kremlin and replaced by the Russian tricolor, symbolizing the official dissolution of the USSR. During his televised speech, Gorbachev reflected on the collapse of the old system and the challenges of transition. As the Soviet anthem played one last time, it echoed across a nation witnessing its own transformation. The nex

On Christmas Day, December 25, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as president of the USSR, and the Soviet flag was lowered from the Kremlin for the last time. The formal dissolution occurred the following day, December 26, when the Supreme Soviet officially voted itself and the Soviet Union out of existence. Credit: ABC News | History In Pictures