The “Six Gentlemen” of Russia Who Explicitly Opposed the Dissolution of the Soviet Union

Abstract

The Belovezh Accords were signed by the leaders of the three republics—the Russian Federation, Belarus, and Ukraine—which held absolute advantages in terms of population, area, and economic strength within the Soviet Union. This agreement aimed to terminate the existence of the Soviet Union. After the Supreme Soviets of both Ukraine and Belarus successively ratified the Belovezh Accords, on December 12, 1991, the fourth plenary session of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation also passed this agreement, ultimately resulting in the disintegration of the Soviet Union. This paper briefly reviews the voting situation at that time's meeting, presenting the confrontation process between the disintegration planners represented by Yeltsin and the six opponents of disintegration including Baburin. These six members of the Supreme Soviet voted against the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Years later, they were called by the Russians as “the last group who fought for the Soviet Union and for the motherland.