One of the fifteen primary administrative subdivisions of the Soviet Union. Except for some of the smaller ones, the union republics were divided into oblasts, autonomous oblasts, kraia, and autonomous republics as major subdivisions.
[n] - one of the states that formerly made up the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922-1991)
noun one of the states that formerly made up the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922-1991)