In line with government and name changes in the former Soviet Union, The Sun has changed its spelling for some of the republics and its style for datelines from those republics.

The spellings of five republics have changed. Byelorussia is now Belarus (bell-uh-ROOSE), Kirghizia is Kyrgyzstan (keer-geez-STAHN), Moldavia is Moldova, Tadzhikistan is Tajikistan and Turkmenia is Turkmenistan.

There has been no change in the remaining republics.

The Sun no longer uses "U.S.S.R." in datelines.