How many countries broke away from Russia? What countries around Russia are in NATO?

14 states broke away from Russia when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. These states include the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), as well as countries across Eastern Europe (Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova), the South Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan), and Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan).

As of June 2023, NATO has 30 member countries. The countries that border Russia and are members of NATO are Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental political and military alliance between 30 member states, primarily from North America and Europe. It was established in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.

The organization’s headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium. NATO is a collective security system: its independent member states agree to defend each other against attacks by third parties.

During the Cold War, NATO operated as a check on the threat posed by the Soviet Union. The alliance remained in place after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact, and has been involved in military operations in the Balkans, the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.

NATO’s organizational structure consists of civilian and military bodies, with the North Atlantic Council (NAC) serving as the principal political decision-making body. The Military Committee advises the NAC on military matters, and the International Staff provides support and expertise.