In Soviet Russia (RSFSR) in 1939 and 1959, ethnic Russians made up the largest share of the total population, with a share of approximately 83 percent. Tatars were the second largest ethnic group, followed by Ukrainians. Russians were consistently the largest ethnic group in the Soviet Union as a whole, with an overall share of 53 percent in 1979.
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Russian Federal State Statistics Service. (December 31, 2015). Total population of select ethnicities and nationalities in Soviet Russia in 1939 and 1959 (in thousands) [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 23, 2026, from /statistics/1260571/population-ussr-by-ethnicity-wwii-cold-war/
Russian Federal State Statistics Service. "Total population of select ethnicities and nationalities in Soviet Russia in 1939 and 1959 (in thousands)." Chart. December 31, 2015. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 23, 2026. /statistics/1260571/population-ussr-by-ethnicity-wwii-cold-war/
Russian Federal State Statistics Service. (2015). Total population of select ethnicities and nationalities in Soviet Russia in 1939 and 1959 (in thousands). ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 23, 2026. /statistics/1260571/population-ussr-by-ethnicity-wwii-cold-war/
Russian Federal State Statistics Service. "Total Population of Select Ethnicities and Nationalities in Soviet Russia in 1939 and 1959 (in Thousands)." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 31 Dec 2015, /statistics/1260571/population-ussr-by-ethnicity-wwii-cold-war/
Russian Federal State Statistics Service, Total population of select ethnicities and nationalities in Soviet Russia in 1939 and 1959 (in thousands) ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1260571/population-ussr-by-ethnicity-wwii-cold-war/ (last visited July 23, 2026)
Total population of select ethnicities and nationalities in Soviet Russia in 1939 and 1959 (in thousands) [Graph], Russian Federal State Statistics Service, December 31, 2015. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1260571/population-ussr-by-ethnicity-wwii-cold-war/
