Commonwealth of Independent States

Definition/Scope: Association of sovereign states formed in 1991, and comprising Russia and 14 other republics that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. The Commonwealth had its origins on Dec. 8, 1991, when the elected leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus (Belorussia) signed an agreement forming a new association to replace the crumbling Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.).

Used For:

Former Soviet republics
Former Soviet states
Former Soviet Union
FSU
Soviet Union
U.S.S.R.
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
USSR

Acronym:

CIS
CIS countries

Broader Terms:

alliances
Eastern Europe

Narrower Terms:

Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty
BTR armored personnel carriers
MT-LB armored multipurpose vehicles
USSR Design Vehicle (Airborne)
USSR Design Vehicle (Armored Personnel Carrier)
USSR Design Vehicle (Carrier)
USSR Design Vehicle (Infantry)

Related Terms:

Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Estonia
Georgia (country)
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lithuania
Moldova
Russia
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Warsaw Pact