Which year marks the collapse of the Soviet Union?

The year that marks the collapse of the Soviet Union is 1991. This significant event occurred following a series of political upheavals, economic difficulties, and national movements across the various republics that made up the Soviet Union. In December 1991, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus announced that the Soviet Union no longer existed, signifying its formal dissolution. This event led to the establishment of independent republics and marked the end of a significant chapter in global political history, characterized by the Cold War tensions.

In contrast, the years 1989, 1994, and 1996 are not associated with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The year 1989 is often recognized for its pivotal events in Eastern Europe, particularly the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of communist regimes in several countries, but the Soviet Union itself remained intact at that time. The years 1994 and 1996 follow the dissolution and are marked by various developments within the post-Soviet states and the emerging political landscape, but they do not signify the formal end of the USSR. Thus, 1991 is the correct year when the Soviet Union ceased to exist.