The unexpected result of Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms was the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the communist regime. Gorbachev implemented policies such as glasnost (political openness) and perestroika (economic restructuring) with the intention of revitalizing and modernizing the Soviet system. However, these reforms inadvertently loosened the political control of the government and allowed for greater expression of dissenting voices. As a result, nationalist movements and demands for greater autonomy grew stronger in the various Soviet republics. This eventually led to the independence of several republics, such as Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, followed by the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the eventual disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991.
