Gorbachev’s power was greatly diminished after Russian President Boris Yeltsin’s high-profile role in facing down a coup d’état attempted by Communist Party hardliners. In late 1991, Gorbachev resigned and the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union met and formally dissolved the Soviet Union. At the same time, information began to flow more freely. Under Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms — glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) — censorship was relaxed. For the first time in decades, Soviet citizens could openly discuss the problems in their society.
Newspapers published stories about corruption, pollution, and even the crimes of Stalin’s purges. While many welcomed these changes, others felt uneasy. The old guarantees — stable jobs, cheap housing, and social equality — began to disappear. Economic reforms caused inflation and shortages. The once-mighty Soviet system started to crumble from within.
