On this day, November the 16th, in the year of 1988, Estonia (then the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic), one of the three “Baltic States” (the others two being Latvia and Lithuania), declared sovereignty from Moscow rule, the first Soviet satellite (the sphere of influence of the U.S.S.R.) to do so.

This move came under the presidency of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader whose reign saw a relaxation of policies to try to stop a collapse of the U.S.S.R., ultimately to no avail.

Late in the U.S.S.R. life, they had trouble keeping the satellite states in check, as they were having their own internal struggles.

While not a declaration of independence, the move saw Estonia vote to regain most control over their nation’s laws and land back to themselves (Washington Post) (Office of the Historian).

It would be until August 20th, 1991 when the Estonians declared full independence during upheaval in Moscow, with the Soviet Union recognizing this independence on September 6th (Estonian World).

The Soviet Union would dissolve on Christmas of the same year (RFE/RL).