Since 1945, after the victory in World War II, the USSR, along with the United States, has become one of the two superpowers. This was reflected in the creation of a pro-Soviet bloc of countries in Eastern and Central Europe (de facto satellites of the USSR). The USSR had a significant influence on a large number of countries around the world, actively intervened in domestic and international conflicts (the Chinese Civil War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the suppression of the Hungarian Uprising, the invasion of Czechoslovakia, the Afghan War), provided military and economic support to its allies around the world (Vietnam, Angola, Ethiopia, Egypt, Cuba), deployed its armed forces in other countries (groups of Soviet troops in the GDR, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Mongolia), possessed the largest stocks of nuclear weapons and a wide range of their means of delivery, a large fleet stationed in different parts of the world ocean (Mediterranean and Indian Naval squadrons), possessed a priority in space exploration, the 2nd largest economy in the world.