dˈuː tə ðə dˌɪsəlˈuːʃən ʌvðə sˈoʊviət jˈuːniən, ˈɔːl ɹˈʌʃən klˈʌbz ʌvðə fˈɔːɹmɚ sˈoʊviət tˈɑːp lˈiːɡ ænd sˈoʊviət fˈɜːst lˈiːɡ jˈuːnɪfˌaɪd ˌɪntʊ ðə ɹˈʌʃən tˈɑːp dᵻvˈɪʒən, wˌɪtʃ mˈɛnt ðætðə nˈuː sˈɛkənd tˈɪɹ ʌv ɹˈʌʃən fˈʊtbɔːl wʊd ɹᵻmˈeɪn ɹˈiːdʒənəlˌaɪzd.
Due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, all Russian clubs of the former Soviet Top League and Soviet First League unified into the Russian Top Division, which meant that the new second tier of Russian football would remain regionalized.