| See under Supreme Soviet. |
| the legislature of the former Soviet Union and its successor states, consisting of an upper house (Soviet of the Union or Council of the Union), whose delegates are elected on the basis of population, and a lower house (Soviet of Nationalities or Council of Nationalities), whose delegates are elected to represent the various nationalities. |
| a former federal union of 15 constituent republics, in E Europe and W and N Asia, comprising the larger part of the former Russian Empire: dissolved in December 1991. 8,650,069 sq. mi. (22,402,200 sq. km). Capital: Moscow. Abbreviation: U.S.S.R., USSR |
| Soviet Union See Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. |
