That does not apply to all parts of the union.<p>Three Baltic States, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, were among the first to claim their independence.
The people did it, not some top cadres: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Singing_Revolution" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Singing_Revolution</a>