ECTF food distribution for the CIS
- Duration
- 29 January 1992 - 29 June 1992
- Military personnel
- 5
- Fatalities
- 1
- Decorations
- none
In December 1991, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Its constituent republics lived on as independent states and the government leaders of these nations set up a new, loose confederation, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Democratic rules
That same month, President Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation permanently replaced the communist regime with a government based on democratic rules and an economy based on capitalist principles.
Nothing left in the shops
On 2 January 1992, the first economic reforms took the form of price decontrol. That was accompanied by a huge decrease in the gross national product (GNP) and by inflation. Prices rose so fast that the rouble decreased in value by almost 10 times within a month. Because of the fall in purchasing power, people started panic-buying. Within a few days, there was virtually nothing left in the shops.
Relief workers to the Commonwealth of Independent States
During the conference for the Maastricht Treaty on 9 and 10 December 1991, the member states of the Economic Community (EC) expressed their concern about the repercussions of the crisis. The EC feared food riots. Germany, France, Ireland and the Netherlands sent relief workers at the beginning of January 1992.