The Soviet bloc officially collapsed in late December, 1991, leaving 14 independent republics in its wake in addition to the newly named Russian Federation. FRANCE 24 reporters James André, Achraf Abid, Gulliver Cragg, Sylvain Rousseau and Elena Volochine produced a series of reports from Russia, Estonia, Ukraine and Georgia on what remains of the Soviet era -- and the relationship that these countries have with Moscow today.

The good old days? Positive feelings about Stalin abound in Russia


Is Stalin making a comeback? Since Russian President Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea in 2014, statues and busts of the former Soviet dictator have been appearing all over Russia. Many of the crimes committed by his regime remain unknown, with archives still closed to the public. A former KGB agent and FSB chief, Putin is openly nostalgic for the Soviet era and has been accused of using Stalinesque methods against his opponents.
05:26

The Orthodox Church: the major driving force of post-USSR Georgia


The Georgian Orthodox Church enjoys considerable power and influence over society. After 70 years of communist oppression, it became a driving force behind independence and rebuilding the country. But today it is losing influence to the liberal, pro-European values of the younger generation.
06:42

'Decommunisation' policy not so popular in east Ukraine


When Ukraine held a referendum on independence in 1991 more than 90% of the population voted “yes”. But the country has retained close economic and political ties with Moscow, more concerned with balancing East and West than with any reckoning with the traumas of the Soviet past. That changed with 2014’s pro-Western revolution, which ushered in a policy of “decommunisation” – condemning Soviet leaders for their crimes and removing all monuments to them. The shift has been wildly popular with some sections of the population but not so much with others – especially in the eastern regions that suffered the most from the transition to capitalism and, more recently, from the war in Donbass.
05:27

Estonia: from collective farms to digital powerhouse.


Estonia is the former soviet republic that has modernised the fastest. Today it is a digital powerhouse where almost everything can be done on a smartphone. After the independence, the Estonian government defined 3 main targets to get over the Soviet Era: to reduce poverty, eradicate corruption and cut red tape. The whole society modernised rapidly thanks to modern technology to day 99 % of administrative formalities can be carried out online.
04:58

Space race: a cold war that's heating up


This is where a significant part of the PR war between the US and USSR took place : space. Our reporters have delved into the video archives, and interviewed astronauts and experts to find out how the Russian space agency has evolved over the past three decades.
05:43

Russian maintains grip on breakaway Georgian province


Amid strengthening ties between Georgia and the European Union, armed clashes erupted on the northern border between the Georgian army and pro-Russian rebels in South Ossetia. Russia’s then president, Dimitri Medvedev, sent troops to back the separatists to reassert Russian influence in Georgia. The international community stepped in as Russian troops advanced to within just a few kilometers outside Tbilisi. The Russian forces retreated, but maintained control over South Ossetia, where an administrative boundary now looks more like a hard border.
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