Short answer
Yes. The Soviet Union was one of the main Allied powers in the Second World War. It was attacked by Nazi Germany on 22 June 1941, fought on the Eastern Front until Germany surrendered in May 1945, and then went to war against Japan in August 1945.
Timeline of the Soviet Union in the war
- 23 August 1939. The Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed a non-aggression pact, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which included a secret agreement dividing Eastern Europe between them.
- 17 September 1939. Soviet forces invaded eastern Poland. See Polish Army uniforms of 1939.
- November 1939 to March 1940. The Winter War with Finland. See Finnish military uniforms of WWII.
- 22 June 1941. Germany invaded the Soviet Union, which opened the main land war on the Eastern Front. The Soviet Union then fought as one of the Allies.
- September 1941 to January 1944. The siege of Leningrad.
- August 1942 to February 1943. The Battle of Stalingrad.
- July to August 1943. The Battle of Kursk.
- April to May 1945. The Battle of Berlin, and the German surrender in early May 1945.
- August 1945. The Soviet Union declared war on Japan and invaded Japanese-held Manchuria.
Dates are given here in the usual Western form. Sources sometimes give slightly different dates for the same event, so check a reliable reference if you need an exact day.
The Soviet Union versus Russia
The Soviet Union was a federal state, and Russia was one of its republics, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The Soviet Union was dissolved in December 1991, and the Russian Federation became an independent state. Modern Russia is therefore one of the successor states of the Soviet Union, not the same state under another name.
Many people use “Russia” for the whole wartime state, which is why the question comes up. For the uniforms and insignia of the Soviet forces, see Soviet WWII uniforms and insignia.
Why the distinction matters for collectors
Items from the war period are usually marked with Soviet state names. The Cyrillic abbreviation СССР (USSR) appears on many Soviet items, and some pieces carry other state or unit marks. Labelling a Soviet item as “Russian” can change its history and its value, so check the markings and the period before you describe an item.
For how the army’s size affects what survives, see How big was the Soviet army in WWII?.