[b][u]Eastern Europe and the Former USSR[/u][/b]
The majority of what is now known as 'Eastern Europe' is comprised of nations or states that were part of the USSR. After the Heavenfall and the collapse of the USSR and of Russia's power and influence over the region, it has changed dramatically, leaving a very patchwork, different landscape of nations with an assortment of political and ideological positions. 

[i]Author's Note: There may be some smaller nations or regions missed out, due to the necessity of writing about over 100 countries as part of this guide, and information may not be as in-depth. Also note that the information and views expressed here are in no way intended to cause offence or be representative of entire cultures or peoples, and are by necessity simplified and presented as an 'overview' rather than a detailed look at every aspect of those places, as such in-depth writing would require much more time and space than is possible here.[/i]

[b]The Former USSR[/b]
Once the biggest country in the world by area, straddling eleven timezones; the USSR is a shell of itself. The Heavenfall asteroid impacting directly within Russian territory contributed to this directly, but the seeds were sown well before, as internal conflict, corruption, and increasingly poor economic conditions and standards of living lead to ever-increasing unrest and dissatisfaction by the population. The ability of internal agencies and armed forces to keep control was dwindling as they too were left with shockingly few resources and supplies, often having to trade what they did have for much-needed supplies. 
As a result, many areas were almost lawless, especially deep into the interior of Russia and in the far east, far away from government oversight. Such regions were essentially the kingdoms of whatever officers or party members could wield their influence and power effectively, often forming trusted circles around themselves, and wielding the ever-present threat of anti-communist thinking and dissent to do away with their opposition. 
This corruption and model of 'kingdom building' extended right into the upper echelons of power and influence, and numerous cabals and factions worked against one another constantly to exert their own influence over policy and the countries' direction. 
The extent of this 'decay' only became apparent over the course of the 1990s and early 2000s, when the Western powers got closer looks at the capability and readiness of Soviet forces when they were seen in action during operations in the Baltics, and the renewed fighting in Afghanistan, and the state of the vehicles, weapons, equipment and even personnel, along with the difficulties they had in combat showed the level of professionalism and training along with the level of available resources had drastically dwindled. 

When the Heavenfall came, Moscow itself was virtually obliterated by the impact, effectively removing the Soviet leadership by default. Many other critical locations and infrastructure sites, as well as military installations and other important locations and resources were destroyed or rendered unusuable by the impact and the devastation that followed. 
With no supporting or enforcing governmental structure or power structure, and the loss of so much in the way of resources, the USSR collapsed. Russia itself dissolved into a patchwork of ever-shifting territories controlled by whomever had the most power and influence, with only the larger, surviving cities retaining some kind of control by virtue of forging connections and relations with external powers. Many of these city-states, 'bandit kingdoms' and would-be states have formed alliances with various nations around the world in attempts to strengthen their security through a variety of means. Alliances between these patchwork nations are common with the NCAA, China, and the Central American Alliance, often trading in armaments, aircraft, vehicles and other materiel produced in the various factories and plants in exchange for regular imports of foodstuffs, raw materials, or other essentials to rebuild and maintain their infrastructure. 

The former Soviet states outside of Russia had varied luck. Ukraine fared well; always a nation with its' own independence and identity, Ukraine struggled briefly with remnant nationalist Soviet forces as it rebuilt, and there was a problem with insurgent activities for years, but as the 2010's rolled around, international relations had greatly improved, and the country has since reached a far more stable situation, with a growing economy and an overall aim to modernise with a lot of new construction across the nation, and a slow rebuilding and modernising of its' armed forces, thanks to the production and manufacturing industries throughout the country. There has been a slow and cautious expansion westward, with the aim of reclaiming key industrial facilities and sites that would aid in the maintaining or production of essential items and technologies. 

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have found themselves allying strongly with The Scandinavian Alliance; aided by them in rebuilding and reconstruction efforts. Investment into their economies in the rebuilding has been from a variety of sources, with many commercial and industrial opportunities opening up as they modernise from the former Soviet influence over them. As such small nations, they have been slow in rebuilding their military forces, but have opted to sign agreements with the N/UN and Scandinavian Alliance for PMC's to be provided as security forces for the region, especially to protect their Western borders against hostile incursions from the various rogue powers in the area. 

Belarus is the closest thing to a surviving Soviet republic. Although it suffered heavy damage during the Heavenfall, it managed to survive and weather the destruction, reorganising rapidly. It's one-party, Soviet Communist model continued, and the country is still ranked low on individual freedoms. Many of the emerging and new nations to the West in the former territories of Russia have strong ties to Belarus, along with continuing trade of weapons, equipment and resources. Belarus is allied to the NCAA and CAA, and heavily opposed to the N/UN, Scandinavian Alliance and has formal diplomatic relations with China and trades with them, but has no mutual defence agreements or other such treaties and arrangements. 

Moldova struggled to maintain its' independence in the wake of the Heavenfall and the collapse of the USSR. Internal struggles centered around the efforts of the Transnistria region to establish itself as a separate nation and entity, and this lead to armed conflict. Eventually, the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic was established, occupying roughly the southern half of the area of Moldova and bordering Ukraine and Romania. The northern half of the region is recognised as Moldova by the N/UN and the majority of its' neighbours, while the PMR maintains a strong alliance with the NCAA, CAA and Belarus, with mutual defence treaties in place. 

Georgia was hit heavily by the collapse of the USSR. While maintaining an independent status, it has been embroiled in conflict with the region of Abkhazia, a conflict that has been mostly driven by ethnic tensions. The country is very poor as a result with a low quality of life for its' citizens. Mercenaries from former Russia have been hired by both sides, and both sides have been supplied with arms and equipment from the NCAA and megacorporations worldwide. The N/UN has been approached by the Georgian government, but they have refused access to observers or investigators to look into reported war crimes and crimes against humanity that have been committed.

[b]Bulgaria[/b]
Bulgaria remained a Soviet satellite state until the early 21st century, at which time Soviet forces started to withdraw due to economic difficulties and pressures from other conflicts and internal issues. Emboldened by this, democratic elections were organised for 2003, and a Socialist government was elected. Reform of the countries' economic policies as well as many other aspects of society began, including tentatively opening up relations with the West. However, before much could be completed, the Heavenfall occurred.

Bulgaria was damaged significantly by the Heavenfall, with earthquakes rocking the area, as it was relatively close to the impact zone. The loss of life was immense, as was the disruption to transport, utilities and communications, all of which added further difficulties to the ability of the government to provide aid and assistance to where it was needed. 
Recovery was slow, but steady, and by 2009, the country was starting to resume normal functions in most areas, though there was still a lot of rebuilding to be done. 
The Bulgarian government became a member of the N/UN in 2010, and entered into agreements and treaties with the EU in 2011. The quality of life in the area has continued to improve since.

[b]Romania[/b] 
Romania's story is much like Bulgaria's; it too suffered heavy damage after the Heavenfall, and struggled to rebuild quickly. However, the road to democratic elections was much more difficult, as organised crime and corruption had taken hold during the chaotic aftermath of the Heavenfall, and this proved difficult to stamp out and eliminate completely. As such, Romania has been subject to ongoing internal clashes and failures of government due to corruption and back-room dealings. The current government is aligned with the NCAA and CAA, and has entered into mutual trade, defence and economic agreements with both.