• the union of soviet socialist republics, also called the soviet union, was formerly the largest country in the world. it occupied much of eastern europe and stretched across the length of asia. 104 nationalities and 114 languages were recognized. mikhail gorbachev became general secretary of the communist party of the soviet union (kpss) in 1985. his policies of perestroika (restructuring to revive the economy) and glasnost (openness in cultural and political areas) led to the end of the cold war, but also to an increase in ethnic tensions and separatist movements within the soviet union. in 1991 the kpss ceased to be the ruling party and virtually every constituent soviet republic declared its independence. many former soviet republics formed the commonwealth of independent states.
