The Difference Between Russia, The Soviet Union, and the Warsaw Pact

The Soviet Union, Russia, The Warsaw Pact.

For 40 years these terms were synonymous with the Cold War and Communism. Although only Russia is still in existence, the legacy of the Cold War still casts a shadow on today’s political scene. But what exactly was the difference between the Soviet Union, Russia, and the Warsaw Pact?

All three were intertwined throughout the Cold War, and remained so until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. To a greater or lesser extent, all three terms tend to be used interchangeably, but while all three were the key parts of what is sometimes referred to as the Eastern bloc of Communist countries, the terms are not interchangeable.