All-Union Council of Ministers (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)

The All-Union Council of Ministers of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Russian: Всесою́зная Сове́т мини́стров СССР, Vsesoyuznaya Sovet Ministrov SSSR), sometimes abbreviated to Sovmin or referred to as the All-Union Soviet of Ministers, is the de jure government comprising the highest executive and administrative body of the Soviet Union. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers is the Premier of the Soviet Union, synonymous with the office of head of government.

The Council of People's Commissars (Sovnarkom) was established on 8 November 1917 by the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) Government. Article 38 of the 1924 Soviet Constitution stated that the Council's powers, functions and duties were given to it by the Central Executive Committee (CEC) which supervised the Council's work and legislative acts. The Council of People's Commissars published decrees and decisions that were binding throughout the Soviet Union.

In 1946, the Council of People's Commissars was transformed into the Council of Ministers, with People's Commissariats turned into Ministries. The council issuing declarations and instructions based on and in accordance with applicable laws, which had obligatory jurisdictional power over the territories of all republics within the Union. However, the most important state issues are handled through joint declarations with the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Soviet Union (CPSU), which was de facto more powerful than the Council of Ministers.