Correct option is A
In December 1991, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus signed the Belavezha Accords, declaring that the Soviet Union was effectively disbanded. This agreement marked the formal dissolution of the USSR and led to the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Explanation:
1. Belavezha Accords (December 8, 1991):
· Signed by the heads of Russia (Boris Yeltsin), Ukraine (Leonid Kravchuk), and Belarus (Stanislav Shushkevich).
· Declared that the USSR had ceased to exist as a geopolitical entity.
2. Dissolution of the Soviet Union:
· Triggered by increasing nationalism, economic stagnation, and political reforms under Mikhail Gorbachev.
· Officially concluded on December 26, 1991, when the Soviet Parliament recognized the end of the USSR.
Information Booster:
1. Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS):
· Created as a loose association of former Soviet republics to manage the transition.
· Included Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and other former Soviet states.
2. Key Factors Behind the Dissolution:
· Economic inefficiency and stagnation.
· Rise of nationalist movements within Soviet republics.
· Gorbachev’s policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring).
3. Aftermath:
· Russia emerged as the primary successor state, inheriting the Soviet Union's UN Security Council seat and nuclear arsenal.