As the last decade of the 20th century dawned, the Soviet Union was nearing its end, with many of its former republics expressing a strong desire for independence. Leading this movement were the Baltic states, particularly Lithuania, which had vivid memories of their independence between the two world wars. Alongside them, other nations like Georgia, Armenia, and Moldova were also pushing towards restoring their sovereignty. In Russia, a growing sentiment to break free from central authority was emerging, spearheaded by Boris Yeltsin, the recently elected chairman of the Russian Supreme Soviet. However, a significant portion of the population in both Russia and several other Soviet republics still favored maintaining the unified Soviet state, with then-leader Mikhail Gorbachev prepared to defend that position.