The
Soviet Armed Forces, also called the
Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and
Armed Forces of the Soviet Union (
Russian: Вооружённые Силы Союза Советских Социалистических Республик
Vooruzhonnyye Sily Soyuza Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, Вооружённые Силы Советского Союза) refers to the
armed forces of the
Russian SFSR (1917–1922), and
Soviet Union (1922–1991) from their beginnings in the aftermath of the
Russian Civil War to its dissolution in December 1991.