Andrei Sakharov returns from internal exile

The Soviet leader proposed eliminating nuclear weapons worldwide by 2000. The plan was a diplomatic initiative by a nuclear superpower and an appeal to reduce the danger its own arsenal helped create.

The congress endorsed perestroika and called for economic acceleration while preserving the party’s leading role. Public promises of renewal confronted entrenched centralized authority and the Union’s...

A reactor accident released radioactive materials across Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and beyond. The evacuation and cleanup exposed residents and workers to serious risk, while secrecy delayed public...

After radiation alarms in Sweden and reports abroad, Soviet news briefly acknowledged an accident. The delay and lack of detail eroded trust among communities facing exposure and demonstrated the...

In his televised address, Gorbachev discussed the accident after nearly three weeks of limited public disclosure. His speech did not erase the consequences of delayed evacuation and uneven access to...

Gorbachev called for democratization within the party and greater competition in elections. The proposals widened public debate but kept reform under party leadership and did not yet establish...

The law promised enterprises more autonomy and introduced new accounting and labor rules. It aimed to improve productivity without ending central planning, and its effects varied across industries and...

Gorbachev and Reagan signed a treaty eliminating an entire class of intermediate-range nuclear missiles. European publics had campaigned against deployments; verification and superpower bargaining...

The regional council voted to seek transfer from the Azerbaijani SSR to the Armenian SSR. The demand reflected Armenian residents’ political claims; it also heightened insecurity and competing...

Afghanistan and Pakistan signed agreements on non-interference and refugee return; the USSR and United States signed guarantees. The accords set a timetable for Soviet withdrawal but did not end...