In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. Which former Soviet republic declared independence that year?

The story behind the answer

Ukraine is correct: it declared independence on August 24, 1991, and a nationwide referendum on December 1 confirmed it with over 90% support. This decisive move, coming just after the failed August coup in Moscow, helped tip the balance toward the Soviet Union’s dissolution. Days later, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus signed the Belavezha Accords (Dec 8), formally declaring the USSR defunct.

Memory tip: Think “U” for Ukraine helped Undo the Union in ’91. The overwhelming public mandate in Ukraine signaled that the Soviet center could no longer hold, accelerating the emergence of independent post-Soviet states.