Russia has been through many manifestations, and has included many territories which are no longer part of Russia.
Up to 1917 there was the Russian Empire. Then there was the Russian revolution, which resulted in the USSR. This was a federal state, Russia was the largest state in the USSR. This included many, but not all territory which was in the Russian Empire.
In the Second World war the USSR re-gained much, but not all, of the territory which as in the Russian Empire.
The USSR broke up in 1992 into Russia and other countries.
The following countries are now independent, but were were part of the Russian Empire, or the USSR until 1992. From North to South (anti-clockwise):
the independent countries that formed the Soviet Union were Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine, Byelorussia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
The USSR did not break up and become Russia again. Thinking Russia and the USSR were the same, is a common mistake. Russia was just part of the USSR, along with many other countries. Russia was the largest of the countries that were part of the USSR. In 1991, the USSR broke up and these countries, including Russia, all became independent.
The 16 republics which made up the USSR had always considered themselves to be separate countries, even though they had been conquered long ago by various Russian czars prior to the rise of the USSR. They had their own languages, religion (mostly Islamic) and traditions. Once the idea of democracy was introduced, and people had the chance to vote on whether to remain part of the USSR or not, it turned out that nobody, not even Russia itself, wanted to remain part of the USSR. So each republic became an independent state.
The Commonwealth of Independent States, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan were formed when the USSR was disbanded.
Not all All Eastern European Countries were part of the Soviet Union (USSR) of them. The following European countries were part of the USSR before its disintegration in 1992: Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova. Plus the three Caucasus countries which are sometimes considered part of Europe: Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan.
Lithuania and Latvia
The USSR did not break up and become Russia again. Thinking Russia and the USSR were the same, is a common mistake. Russia was just part of the USSR, along with many other countries. Russia was the largest of the countries that were part of the USSR. In 1991, the USSR broke up and these countries, including Russia, all became independent.
Kazakhstan was part of the USSR. It is now an independent country.
South of Finland and west of Russia are the three baltic states, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. - These countries were: a) Part of the Russian Empire before 1917. b) Occupied by the German Empire from 1917 to 1918. c) Independent countries from 1918 to 1940 (22 years). d) Occupied by the Soviet Union (USSR) from 1940 to 1941. e) Occupied by the Third Reich from 1941 to 1944. f) Occupied by and part of the Soviet Union (USSR) from 1944 to 1989 (45 years). g) Independent since 1989.
The countries that used to be part of the USSR and are now members of the European Union are the so-called Baltic countries: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The 16 republics which made up the USSR had always considered themselves to be separate countries, even though they had been conquered long ago by various Russian czars prior to the rise of the USSR. They had their own languages, religion (mostly Islamic) and traditions. Once the idea of democracy was introduced, and people had the chance to vote on whether to remain part of the USSR or not, it turned out that nobody, not even Russia itself, wanted to remain part of the USSR. So each republic became an independent state.
The Commonwealth of Independent States, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan were formed when the USSR was disbanded.
Not all All Eastern European Countries were part of the Soviet Union (USSR) of them. The following European countries were part of the USSR before its disintegration in 1992: Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova. Plus the three Caucasus countries which are sometimes considered part of Europe: Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan.
All of the countries that neighbor Italy are independent. These countries are France, Austria, Slovenia, and Switzerland. All of Europe are independent.
Latvia was not an independent country during the Cold War. From 1944 to 1991 Latvia was part of the Soviet Union (USSR). So it was on the side of the USSR, because it was the USSR.
There are 52 independent countries in Africa.
Lithuania and Latvia
Countries which used to be parts of the USSR: Russia, Ukrain, Belorussia, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan. No country used to be a part of Russia. Russia itself was a part of the USSR.