SUPREME SOVIET OF RUSSIA

Previously known as the Supreme Soviet of theRussian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, the Supreme Soviet was the highest power in Russia from 1938 until 1990. The body was elected in a secret ballot by theCongress of People’s Deputies. As the result of legislative changes in the 1990s, the Supreme Soviet became subjugated to the power of the Congress of People’s Deputies. From this point onward, the Supreme Soviet was nominally divided between two bodies: the Soviet of the Republic and the Soviet of Nationalities. The parliamentary body was abolished in wake of theconstitutional crisis of 1993, partly as the result of its leaderRuslanKhasbulatov’s role in the crisis.

See alsoState Duma; Yeltsin, Boris.