1991: August at a turning point

In the year I.V.A. was founded, the country experienced a political crisis that marked the final months of the Soviet Union.

People and an armoured vehicle in the street.

On 19 August, the formation of the State Committee on the State of Emergency, known as the GKChP, was announced. Troops entered Moscow. Opponents of the committee gathered at the House of Soviets, known as the White House. Political confrontation moved into the streets and dominated the news.

The attempt by the GKChP to take power failed. The signing of a new Union Treaty, scheduled for 20 August, did not take place. These events were part of the rapid changes amid which new businesses were starting out and a different economic environment was emerging.

Sources

The book celebrating 30 years of I.V.A., pages 9–10 (Russian)

Image from page 10 of the anniversary book. The book does not identify the photographer or exact date.

Gorbachev Foundation: August 1991 chronology (Russian)

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