dec 25, 1991 - Gorbachev resigns the presidency of the Soviet Union

Description:

One week later, the Soviet Union did not exist. It was replace with the Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia's new president, Boris Yeltsin, emerged as the dominant leader in this fragmented land. The collapse of the USSR happened due to the country's people wanting independence. Yeltsin was able to step in and take advantage of this shift in the country.