Final answer:
The end of the USSR and the creation of the Russian Federation were the result of political, economic, and social events, including reforms implemented by Gorbachev and the actions of Boris Yeltsin. This marked the end of the Cold War and led to the transition to a capitalist economy in Russia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The end of the USSR and the creation of the Russian Federation were the result of a series of political, economic, and social events. In the 1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev implemented reforms like perestroika (economic restructuring) and glasnost (openness) in an effort to save the collapsing Soviet Union. However, these reforms also led to demands for greater change and independence from the Soviet republics.
In 1991, conservative members of the Communist Party attempted to remove Gorbachev from power, but were foiled by Boris Yeltsin, the president of the Russian republic. Yeltsin, along with the presidents of Belarus and Ukraine, voted to dissolve the Soviet Union. The Commonwealth of Independent States was created as a loose confederation of former Soviet republics, with Yeltsin leading the newly formed Russian Federation.
The collapse of the USSR marked the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a new era for Russia. The post-Soviet years were characterized by democratization, rapid privatization, and the shift to a capitalist economy. The Russian Federation faced challenges such as the restructuring of its economy and social safety net, low fertility rates, and the dominance of the Russian Orthodox Church.