Edit. Yes I know that some of the flags were messed up and switched around in this video. I failed to notice them from my animator before uploading the video. Kind of a goofy mistake, but Romania shows the flag of Ukraine at some point for some reason? And then Latvia/Lithuania got their's switched around. I deeply apologize to all Latvians/Lithuanians and Romanians I have undoubtedly offended by these series of tragic mistakes.

When you realize it technically means that Russia gained independence from Kazakhstan

I find it amusing that Kazakhstans border looks like a smaller version of the Soviet Union

Wouldn't this mean Kazakhstan should have been the one to inherit the USSR's permanent seat on the UN Security Council?

Imagine that, in an alternate timeline, Khazakstan stabilises the “union”, implements the reforms, and fills the ranks of the other 15 republics by raising the autonomy of several of it’s own regions, and now we have to put of with Russia and the soviets simultaneously on world maps

Lithuania and Latvia: Gets mixed up Romania and Ukraine: Gets mixed up Slovakia and Slovenia: First time?

7:05 that’s the Ukrainian flag, not the Romanian, and you switched Latvia and Lithuania’s flags

So if Kazakhstan had not seceded, it would have: 1. an insane nuclear arsenal 2. One of the most powerful regimes in the world 3. A permanent seat on the UNSC 4. Sacha Baron Cohen as its leader This is like when you're playing a game with your friends, and they all leave the lobby leaving you as the owner

Generally well-detailed video. But I would add a couple of points: 1. “Strong” support for the preservation of the Union in Kazakhstan at the time should take into account the fact that often-marginalized native ethnic Kazakhs were far from constituting a majority in their own land (as a result of Moscow’s deliberate and targeted migration policies). There was a significant Russian population that were afraid of being cut off from Mother Russia (most of them left now). 2. At the time, Nazarbayev, the first secretary of Kazakh Communist Party, seeing the downfall of Eastern European dictators one by one, was terrified of losing power himself; so he saw the Union’s preservation as essential for him to cling to power. The referendum was not free and fair, so of course he would ensure the correct result. Guess what, the state narrative now is that he was at the forefront of the independence struggle. (P.S. By the way, it did work out well for him in the end: he was an insanely rich dictator ruling over the impoverished people, and the capital was named after him for a bit after he stepped down, though it's now back to Astana after the current government wants to move away from Nursultan). 3. The date of declaration of Independence is purely symbolic. Long before that, there had been no illusion about the continuation of the Union. Instead, it’s an homage to December 16, 1986, the start of the student protests (suppressed with massive, brutal force) that opposed Moscow’s replacement of the ethnic Kazakh Party leader by a Russian with no ties to the country.

Kazakhstan for four days: *”I am the Senate”*

Russia : _leaves the USSR_ Kazakhstan : I'm the captain now

Soviet Union: 1. Release vassal Kazakhstan. 2. Play as released vassal. Kazakhstan: We have gained a core on the Soviet Union Area. We have gained the "reconquest" casus belli against Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. Honecker wasn't a Stalinist. In fact, he helped steer East Germany AWAY from Stalinism in the beginning of his political career. Referring to any hardline socialist leader as a "Stalinist" is very misleading

Kazakhstan is that one classmate who forgot to leave the Zoom meeting even after the teacher had left

This is basically when you have a WhatsApp group with a lot of people and everybody leaves except you.

When the teacher leaves the zoom meeting and you are the host.

Thank you for making video about our country! Warm greetings from Kazakhstan to all good people regardless of where you are from!

The official Russian line is that by the time of its declaration on 8 December 1991, the Soviet Union had ceased to exist and that it was not seceding, but rather declaring an existing fact. Kazakhstan didn't purport to declare itself as independent, but rather signed the treaty creating the Commonwealth of Independent States, which similarly stated that the Soviet Union had ceased to exist. Thus, Russia and Kazakhstan were basically saying, "Yeah, that thing we used to call a superpower has gone the way of the Roman Empire and we'd better update our official documents accordingly."

"They built a entire capital because they didn't like the old one" *Brazil:* allow me to introduce myself

Kazakhstan : *Well , I'm something of a USSR myself.*

I love your channel keep up the great stuff

When you're more Soviet than Soviet Russia itself

Ah, last 10 days Soviet still had territory, not sure about embassies, but not on Earth, on orbit, until 1992 the last Soviet astronaut back to Earth in Kazakhstan. Is it?

Thank you for your work.

At 7:38, Latvia and Lithuania switch flags Romania had Ukraine's flag And the Polish flag had some lettering on it

Russia: *Leaves the USSR* Kazakhstan: Wait, this whole operation was YOUR idea

Russia: We're leaving, you're the USSR now. Kazakhstan: Now hold on. This whole operation was your idea.

Kazakhstan never wanted to not be a part of the Soviet union. Imagine if Kazakhstan was still the Soviet Union

Good video. Although one mistake I noticed was Latvian and Lithuanian flags being mixed up on the map.

Communists: do something, Gorbachev Gorbachev: *No, I don't think I will.*

*Kazakhstan is like that one kid in online class who even waits for his teacher to leave the meeting so he'd be alone by himself*

Thanks for not being a bias channel. You make awesome content

1:55 those countries (except Poland) weren’t invaded by the Soviets. They were liberated by the USSR as the country advanced from the Eastern Front in WWII. Same goes for the West by American, French. and British forces. 5:26 Baltic Way wasn't along the borders but rather it was between the capitals from Tallinn to Riga and finally Vilnius. And socialist Romania was very independent despite being in the Warsaw Pact. I mean when the Soviets sent tanks to Czechoslovakia, Ceausescu was the only Pact leader to criticize it. And his predecessor replaced all the pro-Moscow officials in government with pro-Bucharest...the Soviets did nothing, and Romania went on to copy my grandpa's system.

Kazakhstan 12th december 1991: "cool we are the Soviet Union!" Kazakhstan 16th december 1991: "oh shit we are actually at war with Japan! NOPE"

So technically at one point, germany, russia, and the USSR existed at the same time? 1991 must have been one hell of a year

I am from Qazaqstan 🇰🇿😁, thanks for making a video about my country 😃.

Russia: Bye Kazakhstan: Wait, You can't leave me here! You started this, You end it!

My father was my age when USSR collapsed. He told that he heard on the radio, that USSR no longer exist and that people refused to believe what they've just heard.

Kazakhstan: Guess im in charge now.

Nice video!❤ but fix the subtitles

Great clip with a lot of useful knowlage, but some flags are off. Namely Lithuanua and Latvia are switched and you used Ukrain flag for Romania. Again, great video i've learnt more about the topic here than i have done at history class

Russia: secedes Khazakstan: “wait, this whole operation was your idea”

Kazakhstan when Russia left the USSR “Well. I guess I’m in charge now”

Soviet union:collapsed Sad Soviet union:lasted 69 years Ye boi

4:47 my austrian grandman told me alot of stories about the iron curtains fall in hungary

The Soviet Union has been real quiet since this came out...

"Lithuania and Latvia" *Shows the opposite flags of each nation* Me: *Confused Screaming*

"I was born in the capital of tye USSR!" "So in Moscow?" "No, in Almaty" "What...?"

for people who don't know Semipalatinsk has been renamed to Semey in 2007 and is now the capital of Abai Region. also its now 20 million people population in Kazakhstan

"The USSR existed for just over 69 years" The Soviets were gamers

4:34 dude you mixed the flags but otherwise this was a good and interesting video

Kazakhstan is that one AFK guy in the zoom call who didn't realize the meeting is over and is the only one left in the call

Romania: leaves Warsaw Pact Romania: I am now Ukraine

Romania: exists RealLifeLore: is this Ukraine?

Reminds me of our little chat room on Discord. It was a CoD chat room cause gamers. We had it on for years. We had a funny clan leader that would of course lead our chat room. But as the years go on. Our clan was dying. And our leader wasn’t haven’t it with Call of Duty and joined another clan to bolster with better competitive players. One by one they all left. Leaving me as the sole and final member of our clan….And then I left the chat a week later. Finishing the clan PBK once and for all.

Latvia:why are we switched? Lithuania:i don't know?

Person with OCD: "Staring intently at the latvian and lithuanian flags."

Aw See I never heard anybody go this Deep into it, 04:41 Thanks for the Extra Knowledge, I'll Give This Video A Thumbs 👍

Nice video, but a bit of a mess with flags, Latvia had Lithuanian flag and the other way around. Please fix if possible.

Kazakhstan is that kid who’s still in the zoom even after the teacher had left

I'm terrified of all the misplaced flags

Interesting riga dosent have a port but vinisiuls have one and the ocean thingy is called riga on lithuania inetersting very interesting

Nice video but you mixed Latvia and Lithuania on the map

"Look at me, look at me, I am the USSR now" -Kazakhstan

Kazhakstan is like the guy who always sleeps in class so the teacher decided one day to not wake him up when the bell rang.

Really good video but you mixed Latvia and Lithuania

Very good quality content, but some advice, next time please double check all the countries and flags you use beforehand, because there are so many mistakes…

7:05 Who else noticed he got latvia and lithuania's flags mixed and mistaken Ukraine's flag for Romania?😅

When you Realize Kazakhstan Was way more loyal than your Girlfriend.

On Lithuanias place there is actually Latvia. There're like mixed. On the shown map.

2:22 what is the name of the music that starts here

Kazakh: The Last Comrade

RealLifeLore: Making video about geography also RealLifeLore: Messes flags of countries all the time

What's the background melody? sounds very familiar

USA: we’re the strongest Britain: we’re the smartest Kazakhstan: I was the entire Soviet Union.

3:44 When you switch Lithuania and Latvia: Americans: I see no difference.

they had the chance to keep soviet union technically permanent and untouchable, yet decided to end it at 69 years. Understandable and relatable.

Kazakzhtan forgot to leave the zoom while the teacher was gone.

Hello from Kazakhstan 🇰🇿✨💖

3:37 He flipped Latvia and Lithuania...

Imagine an alternative history where there wasn't a coup and Gorbachev's plan did work. That could be very interesting.

This is like a school group chat that is slowly dissolving and later on, you eventually became the only one left

Kazakhstan be like that one person in a group dm who stays after everyones left

Imagine, Gorbachev was actually a time traveler who came back to end the Soviet Union before the WW3 of 2000

Kazakhstan: “Russia could you help finance the Aral Sea restoration project since you destroyed it the first place and all?” Russia: “Not our problem you’ll have to take that up with the Soviet Union” Kazakhstan: “But we are the Soviet Union?” Russia: ”Exactly”

I don't know why people hate Gorbechev a lot. He dismantled the USSR, brought good reform and change and allowed other countries to finally take their own future into their own hands.

Is it just me or do I hear an alarm going off a few times in the beginning of the video?

2025: That time when Montana was the entire USA for 4 days.

7:17 Latvia, Lithuania, and Romania’s flags are wrong and it makes me want to scream

Interesting rewatching this today

The funny thing was after the last soviet republic which is Kazakhstan leave the Union the USSR never dissolved formally right away so within a few days it existed as a country without a territory

Imagine being sent by the soviet union to space just to return and land in the Russian federation

Next video on Wendover: The logistics of the former Soviet Union

9:10 when it says "left" i hear something like "laugh"

Nice video but the flags are mixed up everywhere

Kazakhstan: "Aight, I'm joining in!" Soviet Union: "Yeah, I quit" Kazakhstan: Қарғы сатқыр!

It's funny how first country to leave Warsaw pact was the country that owned Warsaw

There is something wrong with the subtitles. There were some cuss words in there

Correction - it's a 10 minute video and 2 minute ad.

Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and 12 others have left the group. *You are now an admin.*

I can't take this video seriously when the whole time Lithuania and Latvia have been switched ahaha