8 December 1987 - President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Russia's General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev signed the INF Treaty eliminating all intermediate-range and shorter-range nuclear missiles.
8 December 1991 - The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ceased to exist. The leaders of Russia, Byelorussia and the Ukraine signed an agreement creating the Commonwealth of Independent States.
21 December 1972 - East and West Germany established diplomatic ties, paving the way for international recognition of East Germany
21 December 1993 - The KGB (Soviet Secret Police) organization was abolished by Russian President Boris Yeltsin.
24 December 1979 - Soviet troops invade Afghanistan.
25 December 1989 – Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife were executed following a popular uprising. A pro-democracy coalition took control of the country.