Упрощенная HTML-версия
Author : A. Frolov
Doctor of Science (Political Science)
CRIMEA'S ACCESSION to Russia (some people call it return or
reintegration) is, without a doubt, one of the main issues on the
Russian-Ukrainian agenda.
The reasoning provided by the Union authorities for public con-
sumption obviously differs considerably from the genuine reasons
behind the decision by N.S. Khrushchev and his entourage to
transfer a part of territory from one Union republic to another, a
move that has no precedent in history. Most analysts believe that
N. Khrushchev was guided by purely political motives. It is enough
to recall that N. Khrushchev and the party leaders, who had rallied
around him, first, arrested and then, in December 1953, executed
L.P. Beria, one of his main rivals in the power struggle.
N. Khrushchev's positions in the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee were not suffi-
ciently strong. N. Khrushchev as the leader of the great country, who, in order to ensure his
own political and physical survival, had to strengthen his personal power as much as possible by
relying on loyal and controllable people.
That could be done by strengthening the positions of representatives of the Communist Party
of Ukraine, the second most important Union republic, in the Presidium of the CPSU Central
Committee.
In Soviet times, public opinion was not taken into account. Polls, especially on political issues,
were not conducted.
Some researchers say that the 1954 decision was made in violation of the established procedure
and that it was prepared under intense pressure from N. Khrushchev, who liked the idea.
Another theory is related to ethnic problems and the way they were resolved. In 1944, Tatars
were deported from Crimea together with Greeks and Bulgarians. However, the deportation es-
pecially affected the peninsula's agriculture. In 1950, grain production fell almost five times com-
pared to 1940, tobacco production twice, and vegetable production three times. So "voluntary"
Ukrainization was used to solve that problem. This theory, however, can only be regarded as
supplementary.
There is also a view that the transfer was timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of
Ukraine's reunification with Russia, and thus the country's leadership decided to thank Ukraine
for the three centuries of "friendship and love" between the fraternal peoples.
There are many divided peoples in the world. And these peoples, who speak a language that is
different from the language spoken by the majority of the population, have faithfully and loyally
served their state. The Ukrainian authorities decided to make such an exception for the Russian-
speaking population. The result is there for all to see.
Электронное приложение к журналу «
Международная жизнь
»
Crimea 1954: How It Was