The dissolution of the Soviet Union was formally enacted on December 26, 1991, as a result of the declaration no. 142-Н of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. The declaration acknowledged the independence of the former Soviet republics and created the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), although five of the signatories ratified it much later or not at all. On the previous day, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, the eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union, resigned, declared his office extinct, and handed over its powers – including control of the Soviet nuclear missile launching codes – to Russian President Boris Yeltsin. That evening at 7:32 p.m., the Soviet flag was lowered from the Kremlin for the last time and replaced with the pre-revolutionary Russian flag. 

Mikhail Gorbachev was elected General Secretary by the Politburo on March 11, 1985, three hours after predecessor Konstantin Chernenko's death at age 73. Gorbachev, aged 54, was the youngest member of the Politburo. His initial goal as general secretary was to revive the Soviet economy, and he realized that doing so would require reforming underlying political and social structures. The reforms began with personnel changes of senior Brezhnev-era officials who would impede political and economic change. On April 23, 1985, Gorbachev brought two protégés, Yegor Ligachev and Nikolai Ryzhkov, into the Politburo as full members. He kept the "power" ministries happy by promoting KGB Head Viktor Chebrikov from candidate to full member and appointing Minister of Defence Marshal Sergei Sokolov as a Politburo candidate. QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. What was the precise time that the Russian flag went down?
2. At what time in the day did the Soviet flag get lowered?
3. 
Q2:
1. On what date was the Soviet Union dissolved?
2. What was the date of the dissolution of the Soviet Union?
3. 
Q3:
1. What leader stepped down the day before the dissolution of the Soviet Union?
2. Which leader quit the day prior to the Soviet Union being dissolved?
3. 
Q4:
1. On what date was Mikhail Gorbachev elected?
2. When did the election of Mikhail Gorbachev take place?
3. 
Q5:
1. Who received the nuclear codes?
2. Who gained access to the nuclear passwords?
3. 
Q6:
1. What position did the Politburo give Mikhail Gorbachev?
2. What did the Politburo vote to make Mikhail Gorbachev?
3. 
Q7:
1. Who did Mikhail Gorbachev take over for after that person's death?
2. Whose death lead to Mikhail Gorbachev gaining power?
3. 
Q8:
1. At what age did Konstantin Chernenko pass away?
2. How old was Konstantin Chernenko when he died?
3. 
Q9:
1. Where was the Soviet flag lowered for the last time?
2. What was the Soviet flag's location the last time it was lowered?
3. 
Q10:
1. What replaced the Soviet flag at the Kremlin?
2. What was placed at the Kremlin to replace the Soviet flag?
3. 
Q11:
1. What was Mikhail Gorbachev's age when he was the youngest person at the Politburo?
2. How old was Mikhail Gorbachev at the time when he was the most junior person at the Politburo?
3. 
Q12:
1. What were Mikhail Gorbachev's original aims as secretary?
2. What did  Mikhail Gorbachev originally want to do as secretary?
3. 
Q13:
1. On what date did Mikhail Gorbachev bring in two apprentices?
2. When did Mikhail Gorbachev bring two apprentices on board?
3. 
Q14:
1. Did the declaration have the number 142-H?
2. Is 142-H the correct number of the declaration?
3. 
Q15:
1. How long did  Mikhail Gorbachev keep the ministries satisfied?
2. For how long were the ministries happy with the job that Mikhail Gorbachev was doing?
3. 
