New subjects of the Russian Federation Crimea. Crimea, republic (subject of the Russian Federation)
before - Republic of Crimea
Autonomous Republic of Crimea, ARC(ukr. Autonomous Republic of Crimea, ARC, Crimean Tat. Qırım Muhtar Cumhuriyeti, Qırım Muhtar Cumhurieti, QMC, QMJ listen)) is an autonomous republic within Ukraine.
The Crimean autonomy within Ukraine was formed by the law of the Ukrainian SSR on February 12, 1991 as Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992, the autonomy was renamed into Republic of Crimea, and in 1994 to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
In February-March 2014, the actual annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation was carried out, within the framework of the federal structure of which the subjects of the federation were formed on the corresponding territory - the Republic of Crimea and the city federal significance Sevastopol
Story
Restoration of the Crimean ASSRFirst time on state level the need to restore the Crimean ASSR was stated in the Decree of the USSR Supreme Council “On the conclusions and proposals of the commissions on the problems of the Soviet Germans and the Crimean Tatar people” of November 28, 1989, No. 845-1, which noted that “the restoration of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people cannot be carried out without the restoration of the autonomy of the Crimea through the formation of the Crimean ASSR as part of the Ukrainian SSR. This would be in the interests of both the Crimean Tatars and representatives of other nationalities now living in Crimea.” (Published: Vedomosti of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 1989, November 29 (No. 25). S. 669 (No. 495).
In November 1990, the issue of restoring the Crimean ASSR was raised by the Crimean Regional Council.
On January 20, 1991, a referendum was held in the Crimean region on the issue of recreating the Crimean ASSR as a subject of the USSR and a participant in the Union Treaty. The turnout exceeded 81%, 93% voted for the restoration of the Crimean ASSR; subsequently, the day of the referendum began to be celebrated in the republic as the "Day of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea."
Guided by the results of the referendum, on February 12, 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR adopted the Law "On the Restoration of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic", according to Article 1 of which the Crimean ASSR was proclaimed within the territory of the Crimean region as part of the Ukrainian SSR. supreme body state power on the territory of the Crimean ASSR, according to this law, temporarily (before the adoption of the Constitution of the Crimean ASSR and the creation of constitutional bodies of state power), the Crimean Regional Council was recognized people's deputies. On March 22, 1991, the Crimean Regional Council of People's Deputies was transformed into the Supreme Council of the Crimean ASSR and was tasked with drafting the Constitution of Crimea. 4 months later, on June 19, the mention of Crimean autonomy was included in the 1978 constitution of the Ukrainian SSR.
However, already on August 24, 1991, the Supreme Council of the Ukrainian SSR proclaimed the independence of Ukraine and announced the termination of the Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR and the USSR on the territory of the Ukrainian SSR. Instead of them, the Constitution of Ukraine, which did not exist at that time, should act.
Republic of Crimea
On September 4, 1991, the extraordinary session of the Supreme Council of the autonomy adopted the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the Republic of Crimea, which spoke of the desire to remain part of Ukraine.
On February 26, 1992, by decision of the Supreme Council of Crimea, the Crimean ASSR was renamed the Republic of Crimea. On May 5 of the same year, the Supreme Council of Crimea adopted an act declaring the state independence of the Republic of Crimea, and a day later - the Constitution, which confirmed the renaming of the Crimean ASSR and defined the Republic of Crimea as democratic state within Ukraine, and the city of Sevastopol - as a city with a special status and an integral part of the Crimea.
On February 4, 1994, a representative of the pro-Russian bloc "Russia" Yu. A. Meshkov was elected president of Crimea. On March 10 of the same year, he issued a decree on holding a poll on March 27 on the restoration of the 1992 Constitution in its original version. In accordance with the official results of the survey, on May 20, 1994, the Supreme Council of Crimea adopted the law of the Republic of Crimea "On the restoration of the constitutional foundations of the statehood of the Republic of Crimea", which cancels the September 1992 constitutional amendments. The central government of Ukraine did not support such a development of events.
Autonomous Republic of Crimea
On September 21, 1994, the issue of Crimean autonomy was considered at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. V. Stretovich, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Legal Policy and Judicial Reform, stated that at the Ukrainian-Crimean negotiations “quite often it was heard” that the Constitution of Ukraine does not apply to the Republic of Crimea, since it refers to the Crimean ASSR, and suggested replacing in the Constitution, all remaining references to the name "Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic" to "Republic of Crimea", however, this proposal was criticized, since "Crimea makes claims that are not true, and we satisfy them. Even in something as small as the name "Republic of Crimea". That is, there is no longer any talk of autonomy.” As a result, it was decided to write down the name of the Crimean autonomy as "Autonomous Republic of Crimea".
On March 17, 1995, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the law "On the abolition of the Constitution and some laws of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea", in connection with which many previously adopted regulatory legal acts were canceled and the post of President of the Republic of Crimea was abolished. Among them, the Law of Ukraine “On the Status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea” dated April 29, 1992 No. 2299-XII was canceled, instead of which the Law of Ukraine “On the Autonomous Republic of Crimea” (Law of Ukraine “On the Autonomous Republic of Crimea”) dated March 17 1995 No. 95/95-VR.
Authorities
The system of authorities of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which actually operated before the annexation of Crimea to Russia, was established by the Constitution of Ukraine, as well as the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, adopted at the second session of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea on October 21, 1998 and entered into force on January 11, 1999.
With the aim of "facilitating the exercise of the powers of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea", a representative office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea functioned in Simferopol, the head of which was appointed by decree of the head of state. Since May 17, 2014, the representative office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has been located on the territory of Ukraine, in Kherson. The post of Permanent Representative is currently vacant.
Borders
Administrative-territorial division
Administratively, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea consists of 25 regions: 14 districts (with a predominantly rural population) and 11 territories subordinate to the city councils of cities of republican subordination (with a predominantly urban population). According to the legislation of Ukraine, the heads of local state administrations in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea are appointed and dismissed by the President of Ukraine on the proposal of the Government of Ukraine, agreed with the Chairman of the Supreme Council, the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and mayors are elected territorial communities.
Settlements - 1020, including: urban - 72, rural - 948.
| Districts | Territories, subordinate to city councils |
| 1 Bakhchisaray district | 15 Alushta City Council |
| 2 Belogorsky district | 16 Armenian City Council |
| 3 Dzhankoysky district | 17 Dzhankoy City Council |
| 4 Kirovsky district | 18 Evpatoria City Council |
| 5 Krasnogvardeisky district | 19 Kerch City Council |
| 6 Krasnoperekopsky district | 20 Krasnoperekopsky City Council |
| 7 Leninsky district | 21 Saki City Council |
| 8 Nizhnegorsky district | 22 Simferopol City Council |
| 9 Pervomaisky district | 23 Sudak City Council |
| 10 Razdolnensky district | 24 Feodosiya City Council |
| 11 Saki district | 25 Yalta City Council |
| 12 Simferopol region | |
| 13 Sovietsky district | |
| 14 Chernomorsky region |
Population
The population of the ARC, according to public service statistics of Ukraine, as of March 1, 2014, was 1,966,556 people, including the urban population was 1,232,850 people, the rural population was 733,706 people. The permanent population was 1,957,801 people, including the urban population - 1,218,044 people, the rural population - 739,757 people.
Ethnic composition
During the last all-Ukrainian census (2001), the population of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea was 2,024,056 people, of which 58.5% Russians, 24.3% Ukrainians, 12.1% Crimean Tatars, 1.4% Belarusians, 1.1% Armenians, 0.6% Tatars, 0.2% each Jews, Poles, Moldavians, Azerbaijanis, 0.1% each Uzbeks, Koreans, Greeks, Germans, Mordovians, Chuvashs, Gypsies, Bulgarians, Georgians and Maris. Estonians, Karaites, Krymchaks, Italians and other nationalities also lived in the ARC.
Languages
According to the 2001 census, Ukrainian language considered native 10.1% of the population of the ARC, Russian - 77.0% of the population, Crimean Tatar - 11.4%.
According to a survey conducted in 2004 (KIIS), the Russian language (including along with other languages) is used for communication by the absolute majority - 97% of the total population of Crimea.
Economy
The main sectors of the Crimean economy are industry, tourism (Western Crimea, Southern coast of Crimea, Kerch Peninsula), construction, healthcare, agriculture, trade.
Agriculture
View of the Crimean vineyards from a height of several hundred meters
Crimean agriculture specializes in grain growing, animal husbandry, viticulture, horticulture, vegetable growing, as well as the cultivation of essential oil crops (lavender, rose, sage).
The oldest agricultural industry in Crimea is viticulture. Crimea is famous for its technical grape varieties, which are used for the production of high-quality wines, cognacs and juices. The Republic was the main region of Ukraine for the production of grapes.
Natural resources
The natural reserve fund, located on the territory of the autonomy, includes 158 objects and territories (including 46 of national importance). Its basis is 6 nature reserves with a total area of 63.9 thousand hectares: Crimean with the Lebyazhy Islands branch, Yalta mountain and forest, Cape Martyan, Karadagsky, Kazantipsky, Opuksky. the region of the marines in the cape area, according to which the fleet was based in the Crimea, were
- appointment of elections of deputies of the Supreme Council of the ARC, approval of the composition election commission ARC;
- organizing and holding local referendums;
- management of property owned by the ARC;
- development, approval and execution of the ARC budget on the basis of a unified tax and budget policy of Ukraine;
- development, approval and implementation of ARC programs on socio-economic and cultural development, rational use of natural resources, environmental protection - in accordance with national programs;
- definition of resorts and zones of sanitary protection of resorts;
- participation in ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens, national harmony, promoting the protection of law and order and public safety;
- ensuring the functioning and development of the state and national languages and cultures in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea; protection and use of historical monuments;
- participation in the development and implementation of state programs for the return of deported peoples;
- initiating the introduction of a state of emergency and the establishment of zones of emergency environmental situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea or in its individual areas.
The same article provides for the possibility of legislative delegation of additional powers to the autonomous republic.
According to the Constitution of Crimea, the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has the right to hear information about the activities, agree on appointments to positions and dismissals of:
- Head of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea;
- Head of the Main Directorate of Justice of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine in the ARC;
- General Director of GTRK "Crimea";
- prosecutor of the ARC.
The chairmen of the Supreme Council and the Council of Ministers of Crimea are empowered to agree on appointments to positions and dismissals of:
- deputy heads of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Crimea;
- heads of city and district departments of internal affairs of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Crimea;
- deputy heads of the Main Directorate of Justice of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine in Crimea;
- chairman and deputy chairmen of the STA in Crimea and heads of district and city tax inspections in the ARC;
- chief and deputies of the tax police department in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea;
- the head and deputy heads of the Control and Audit Department in Crimea, the head and deputy heads of the Crimean Regional Customs;
- Chairman of the branch of the State Property Fund in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea;
- Director of the Radio and Television Broadcasting Center.
Since March 2014, the ownership of the territory of the republic has been the subject of interstate disagreements between Ukraine and Russia. De facto, this territory became part of the Russian Federation as a new federal subject of the Republic of Crimea. Ukraine does not recognize the secession of Crimea and its annexation to Russia and considers the Autonomous Republic of Crimea "temporarily occupied".
In particular, on May 16, 2014 Oleksandr Turchynov, appointed by the Verkhovna Rada and. about. President, signed a decree on measures to restore the activities of the representative office of the President of Ukraine in Crimea. Representation, temporarily located in Kherson, opens "in order to ensure the restoration of the activities of the representative office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea under the conditions of temporary occupation of the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea" . On May 22, Natalia Popovich was appointed permanent representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. A month earlier, on April 15, 2014, the law “On Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Citizens and the Legal Regime in the Temporarily Occupied Territory of Ukraine” was adopted, which established a number of restrictions and exemptions in the Ukrainian legal field in relation to the territory of the republic, in particular, according to this law in Crimea, certain types of economic activity are prohibited and restrictions are placed on the entry and exit of foreign citizens and stateless persons, and elections to the national bodies of Ukraine (to the Verkhovna Rada and to the presidency) are not held on the territory of Crimea.
- Article 12.2. Application in the territories of the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol of the legislation of the Russian Federation on licensing certain types activities, the legislation of the Russian Federation on the notification procedure for the commencement of entrepreneurial activity and the legislation of the Russian Federation on the protection of the rights legal entities and individual entrepreneurs in the exercise of state control (supervision), municipal control
Federal constitutional law of March 21, 2014 N 6-FKZ
"On the admission to the Russian Federation of the Republic of Crimea and the formation of new subjects within the Russian Federation - the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol"
With changes and additions from:
May 27, July 21, November 4, December 29, 31, 2014, December 29, 2015, June 23, December 19, 28, 2016, July 29, December 28, 2017, December 25, 2018
|
President of Russian Federation |
The FKZ was adopted on the entry of Crimea into Russia.
First of all, we note that it provides a justification for the legality of accession. For example, the grounds for accession are: the results of the all-Crimean referendum (recall that it was held on March 16, 2014), the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, the Treaty between Russia and Crimea on the admission of the latter to our country (signed March 18, 2014), proposals of the Republic and the city of Sevastopol for acceptance.
Crimea is considered to be accepted into Russia from the date of signing the above-mentioned agreement between Russia and the Republic of Crimea.
As part of Russia, 2 new subjects are formed - this is the Republic of Crimea and the city of federal significance Sevastopol (their borders are defined). 3 state languages- Russian, Ukrainian, Crimean Tatar.
All Ukrainians and stateless persons permanently residing in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol on the day Crimea is admitted to Russia are issued Russian citizenship. It can be waived by declaring a desire to retain existing citizenship (to remain stateless). Term - 1 month. Russian passports must be issued within 3 months.
The monetary unit in the territories of the new subjects of the Federation is the ruble. At the same time, the circulation of the hryvnia is allowed until January 1, 2016. However, some operations immediately (i.e., from the moment Crimea was admitted to Russia) are carried out in rubles. It's about on payment of taxes, customs and other fees, payments to state off-budget funds. Employee benefits budget organizations and social benefits. Payments with legal entities registered in other constituent entities of the Federation (with the exception of payments made in the course of banking operations between credit institutions). Until January 1, 2015, the exchange of hryvnias for rubles is carried out at the official rate established by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
Until January 1, 2015, there is a transitional period during which the issues of integration of new subjects of the Federation into various systems (legal, economic, financial, credit, etc.) are settled. Only since January 1, 2015, Russian legislation on taxes and fees has been applied in these regions.
It is determined how the bodies of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, the prosecutor's office and local self-government bodies, and the courts are formed. It has been established how banks, budgetary institutions, non-credit financial institutions, advocacy, notaries. Attention is paid to social guarantees and issues of military duty and military service.
The FCL comes into force from the date of entry into force of the Treaty between Russia and Crimea on the admission of the latter to Russia.
Federal Constitutional Law of March 21, 2014 N 6-FKZ "On the admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation and the formation of new subjects within the Russian Federation - the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol"
This Federal Constitutional Law shall enter into force from the date of entry into force of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Crimea on the admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation and the formation of new subjects in its composition
The text of the Federal Constitutional Law was published on the "Official Internet Portal of Legal Information" (www.pravo.gov.ru) on March 21, 2014, in "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" dated March 24, 2014 N 66, in the Collection of Legislation of the Russian Federation dated 24 March 2014 N 12 Art. 1201, in "Parliamentary newspaper" of March 28 - April 3, 2014 N 11
This document has been modified by the following documents:
And federal cities.
In the second half of February 2014, protests of the local, mostly Russian-speaking, population began in Crimea against the actions of supporters who came to power as a result. On February 23-24, under pressure from pro-Russian activists, a change was made executive bodies the authorities of Sevastopol, and on February 27, after the seizure of the buildings of the authorities of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the government of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea was also replaced. The new Crimean authorities declared the illegitimacy of the post-Maidan authorities of Ukraine and turned to the leadership for assistance and assistance, which provided them with all possible support.
March 16 was held, on the basis of the official results of which and adopted on March 11, an independent party was unilaterally proclaimed, signing with Russia.
Annexation of Crimea to Russia provoked an international backlash. The Western community ("", member states,) regarded it as Ukrainian territory, following the armed intervention of Russia in the internal affairs of Ukraine. Russia, in turn, considers the annexation of Crimea to Russia as a realization of the right of the local population to self-determination. Ukraine itself does not recognize the annexation of Crimea to Russia; On April 15, 2014, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted, declaring the city as territories occupied by the Russian Federation.
On March 27, 2014, by a majority of votes, she adopted her commitment to the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, non-recognition of the Crimean referendum and the changes in the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol based on it.
background
October 18, 1921 in As part of the RSFSR, a multinational was formed. The population of the Crimean ASSR was 1 million 126 thousand people (49.6%, 19.4%, 13.7%, 5.8%, 4.5%).
After in 1944-1946. Crimean Tatars On June 25, 1946, the Crimean ASSR was abolished and transformed into.
In April 1954, the Crimean region was transferred to the composition with the following wording: “Given the commonality of the economy, territorial proximity and close economic and cultural connections between the Crimean region and the Ukrainian SSR" . According to some Russian researchers and politicians, in 1954 Sevastopol was not formally transferred to the Ukrainian SSR as part of the Crimean region, since since 1948 it had been a city of republican subordination of the RSFSR. The Supreme Council of the Russian Federation also adhered to this position when it adopted on July 9, 1993 (see).
In 1989, the deportation of the Crimean Tatars was recognized by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR as illegal and criminal. Crimean Tatars were allowed to settle in the Crimea. The mass return of the Crimean Tatar people to their historical homeland began.
In November 1990, the issue of restoring the Crimean ASSR was raised. On January 20, 1991, a referendum was held in the Crimean region on the restoration of the Crimean autonomy. In the referendum, 81.37% of the Crimeans included in the voting lists accepted. 93.26% of the citizens who took part in the referendum voted for the restoration of the Crimean ASSR.
In 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR adopted the Law "On the Restoration of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic". Article 1 said:
"To restore the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the territory of the Crimean region as part of the Ukrainian SSR."
On June 19 of the same year, a mention of the restored autonomy was included in the 1978 constitution of the Ukrainian SSR.
1991, 54% of the inhabitants of Crimea and 57% of the inhabitants of Sevastopol supported the independence of Ukraine.
On February 26, 1992, by decision of the Supreme Council of Autonomy, the Crimean ASSR was renamed the Republic of Crimea, and on May 6 of the same year, the Crimean constitution was adopted, which confirmed this name, and also established the entry of Crimea into Ukraine on contractual relations, however, the Supreme Council of Ukraine did not approve the name "Republic of Crimea".
On May 21, 1992, he adopted Resolution No. 2809-1, which recognized it as "null and void from the moment of adoption" due to the fact that it was adopted "in violation of the legislative procedure." However, the Russian parliament clarified that due to the constitution of the fact of the transfer of the Crimeanregion and the conclusion between Ukraine and Russia of a bilateral agreement of November 19, 1990, in which the parties renounce territorial claims, and fixing this principle in treaties and agreements between the states of the CIS considers it necessary to resolve the issue of Crimea through interstate negotiations between Russia and Ukraine with the participation of Crimea and based on the will of its population.
In 1992-1994, pro-Russian political forces attempted to separate Crimea from Ukraine. These actions were suppressed by the Ukrainian authorities, however, the autonomy of Crimeahas been saved. In September, the Supreme Soviet of Ukraine renamed the Crimean ASSR (Republic of Crimea) into , and in March 1995 unilaterally repealed the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Crimea.
By 1994, the highest success of the Crimean pro-Russian movement until 2014 was achieved. However, after a convincing victory in the elections, the pro-Russian leadership of Crimea was faced with the lack of a financial, economic, managerial base for real autonomy, as well as with the extremely negative position of Russia, whose leadership at that time was trying to get closer to and therefore considered the support of Russia by voters abroad as an unpleasant hindrance, capable of rekindling in the West suspicions about Russia's "enduring imperial ambitions". In addition, an internal political crisis soon erupted in Crimea.As a result, already in 1995, the Ukrainian authorities achieved a change in the constitution of the Crimea and the abolition of the post of president of the republic; there was no official reaction from Russia to these events.
The possibility of a new conflict in Crimea in connection with the new redistribution of the world was considered high already in the early 2000s. AfterA number of experts have suggested that the next conflict in Crimea will be a confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. The Russian-speaking majority of the population and the politics of the Ukrainian elites allowed some researchers to suggest already in 2010 that the political split in Ukraine could lead to a referendum in Crimea on joining Russia.
The legal side of the issue
According to the current(Article 65, part 2), “admission to the Russian Federation and the formation of a new subject in its composition are carried out in the manner established”, according to which admission to the Russian Federation as a new subject “ foreign country or part of it” is carried out exclusively by mutual agreement between Russia and another interested state. The initiative to accept a new subject of the federation formed on the territory of a “foreign state” into Russia should come from the territory that wants to become part of the Russian Federation, and it is from this state, and not from the breakaway part. This provision of the law was confirmed in 2004 in connection with the request of the unrecognized republic to become part of the Russian Federation.
On February 28, 2014, a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation introduced amendments to the current legislation, allowing the admission of a part of a foreign state into the Russian Federation (at the initiative of local authorities or the results of a local referendum) in the absence of “effective sovereign” power in this state and the impossibility of ensuring its civil rights by the authorities. According to one of the authors of the Russian constitution and a former deputy of the State Duma, if Mironov’s amendments were approved, the admission of Crimea to the Russian Federation would not violate the norms of Russian law, but would be a serious violation of international law, “which is not required by either the Russian state or Russian society” . On March 21, the Venice Commission gave its opinion on the bill, which concluded that the bill also does not comply with the Constitution of the Russian Federation. By that time, in connection with the adoption of the declaration on the independence of Crimea on March 11 (see), the need for amendments had disappeared. On March 17 they were recalled from the State Duma.
The law on the admission of new subjects to the Russian Federation provides that if the territory is accepted into the Russian Federation, it should be granted the status of a republic, territory, region, autonomous region or autonomous district (however, not a city of federal significance, as happened with Sevastopol). The Constitutional Court of Russia, referring to Article 5 of the Constitution, considered it acceptable to accept Sevastopol as part of Russia as a city of federal significance, but did not directly declare whether the restriction established by law remains in principle in force or whether it is canceled as unconstitutional.
Accession process
On March 17, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a draft treaty on the admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation. On March 18, 2014, Vladimir Putin began the process of accepting the Republic of Crimea into Russia, notifying the government and the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the proposals of the State Council of Crimea and the Legislative Assembly of Sevastopol on admission to the Russian Federation and the formation of new subjects. In the Georgievsky Hall, in the presence of the leaders of Crimea and Sevastopol, Putin spoke with the federal city of Sevastopol. The treaty entered into force from the date of ratification by the Federal Assembly on March 21, but was provisionally applied from the date of signing.
On March 18, a request was received from the President of the Russian Federation to verify the compliance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation of the signed agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Crimea on the admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation and the formation of new subjects within the Russian Federation. The request was accepted for consideration without a public hearing.
On March 19, the Constitutional Court recognized the treaty as conforming to the constitution. On the same day, President Putin submitted for ratification to the State Duma the Treaty on the Admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation and an amendment to the Constitution on the creation of new subjects of the Federation.
On March 20, the State Duma of the Russian Federation ratified the Treaty on the Admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation, with all against.
On March 21, the treaty was ratified by the Federation Council. A federal constitutional law on education in the Russian Federation was also adopted. Federation of two new subjects - the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol. On March 21, Vladimir Putin signed the law on the ratification of the treaty on the admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation and the federal constitutional law on the procedure for the entry of Crimea and Sevastopol into Russia and the transition period for the integration of new subjects of the Federation. Southern Military District .
On April 11, the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol were included in the list of subjects of the Russian Federation in the Constitution of Russia.
Since April 25, 2014, Russia has established a state border between Crimea and Ukraine.
Annexation of Crimea to Russia(2014) - the inclusion in the Russian Federation of most of the territory of the Crimean peninsula, which after the collapse of the USSR was part of independent Ukraine and until 2014 was controlled by it, with the formation of two new subjects of the Federation - the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol.
This event was immediately preceded by many months of anti-presidential and anti-government actions in Ukraine (“Euromaidan”), which ended in February 2014 with a forceful change of power. The very first actions of the opposition that came to power in Kyiv provoked protests in Crimea by the local, mostly Russian-speaking, population, which was facilitated by the intensification of the actions of Russian public organizations (“Russian Community of Crimea” and the party “ Russian unity”), who began to mobilize their supporters as early as mid-January 2014, due to the aggravation of the confrontation in Kyiv and the unfolding campaign of seizures of administrative buildings in a number of regions of Ukraine.
On February 23-24, under pressure from pro-Russian activists, the executive authorities of Sevastopol were changed, and on February 27, after the buildings of the authorities of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea were seized and blocked early in the morning by several groups of armed people, deputies of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, who gathered in the parliament building , dismissed the government of Anatoly Mogilev and decided to hold an all-Crimean referendum on May 25 on expanding the autonomy of the peninsula as part of Ukraine. The new government of Crimea was headed by the leader of the Russian Unity party, Sergei Aksyonov, who declared his non-recognition of the new leadership of Ukraine and turned to the Russian leadership for "assistance in ensuring peace and tranquility on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea."
On March 1, the Federation Council of the Russian Federation satisfied the appeal of President Vladimir Putin for permission to use Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine. Detachments of volunteers and Russian servicemen blocked all facilities and military units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the territory of the peninsula, the command of which refused to obey the government of Crimea.
On March 6, the referendum question was changed. Bypassing the Ukrainian Constitution, the question of joining Crimea to Russia was put to a vote. On March 11, the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Sevastopol City Council adopted the Declaration of Independence. On March 16, a referendum on the status of Crimea was held, based on the results of which the independent Republic of Crimea was unilaterally proclaimed, signing an agreement with Russia on joining the Russian Federation.
A special position was taken by the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, which claims to be the representative body of the Crimean Tatars. On February 21-23, he organized mass actions in support of the new Ukrainian government, on February 26 he tried to organize the seizure of the building of the Crimean parliament and impede the work of deputies, and on March 15 he declared that the referendum "held to change the territorial affiliation of Crimea" was not recognized as legitimate and consistent with international law and the Constitution of Ukraine. The Mejlis stated that it "categorically rejects any attempts to determine the future of Crimea without the free will of the Crimean Tatar people - the indigenous people of Crimea" and that only the Crimean Tatars have the right to decide in which state the Crimean Tatar people live. According to the Mejlis, "the restoration of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people and the realization of their right to self-determination in their historical homeland should be carried out as part of a sovereign and independent Ukrainian state."
Most UN member states do not recognize the Crimean referendum. The Western community (the “Big Seven”, the member states of NATO, the European Union) regarded Russia's actions as aggression, the annexation of a part of Ukrainian territory, a violation of its territorial integrity. The rejection by the West of Russian actions in Crimea led to the refusal of Western leaders to cooperate with Russia in the G8 format and became one of the reasons for the imposition of Western sanctions against Russia. Russia, in turn, considers the annexation of Crimea as a realization of the right to self-determination of the population of Crimea, who “rebelled” against the forceful change of power in the country. Ukraine itself does not recognize the annexation of Crimea to Russia; On April 15, 2014, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law declaring the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to be territories occupied as a result of the “armed aggression of the Russian Federation”.
On March 27, 2014, the UN General Assembly by a majority vote adopted a resolution on its commitment to the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, non-recognition of the Crimean referendum and the changes in the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol based on it.
The problem of Crimea in Russian-Ukrainian relations (1992-2014)
background
On October 18, 1921, the multinational Crimean ASSR was formed as part of the RSFSR. In 1939, the population of the Crimean ASSR was 1 million 126 thousand people (49.6% Russians, 19.4% Crimean Tatars, 13.7% Ukrainians, 5.8% Jews, 4.5% Germans).
After the deportation of the Crimean Tatars (1944-1946), the Crimean ASSR was abolished on June 25, 1946 and transformed into the Crimean region.
In April 1954, the Crimean region was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR with the following wording: "Given the common economy, territorial proximity and close economic and cultural ties between the Crimean region and the Ukrainian SSR." According to some Russian researchers and politicians, in 1954 Sevastopol was not formally transferred to the Ukrainian SSR as part of the Crimean region, since since 1948 it had been a city of republican subordination of the RSFSR. The Supreme Council of the Russian Federation also adhered to this position when, on July 9, 1993, it adopted Resolution No. 5359-1 “On the status of the city of Sevastopol” (see. Legal status Sevastopol). At the same time, however, in Article 77 of the Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR of 1978, Sevastopol, like Kyiv, was called a city of republican subordination, and there was no mention of Sevastopol in the Constitution of the RSFSR of 1978.
In 1989, the deportation of the Crimean Tatars was recognized by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR as illegal and criminal. Crimean Tatars were allowed to settle in the Crimea. A mass return of the Crimean Tatar people to their historical homeland began, which significantly exacerbated social and ethnic contradictions on the peninsula.
In November 1990, the issue of restoring the Crimean ASSR was raised. On January 20, 1991, a referendum was held in the Crimean region on the restoration of the Crimean autonomy. In the referendum, 81.37% of the Crimeans included in the voting lists accepted. 93.26% of the citizens who took part in the referendum voted for the restoration of the Crimean ASSR.
On February 12, 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR adopted the Law "On the Restoration of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic". Article 1 said:
On June 19 of the same year, the mention of the restored autonomous republic was included in the constitution of the Ukrainian SSR.
At the turn of the 1980s - 1990s in the Crimea, as in many other regions of the USSR, the activities of independent public organizations intensified, a number of which initially declared their goal to protect the national-cultural, historical and linguistic identity of the Russian population of the peninsula. In 1989, the Democratic Taurida organization began to operate in Crimea, which put forward, in particular, the slogans of creating the Crimean Republic within the USSR and securing the status of the Russian language as the state language on its territory. Later, with the participation of a number of prominent figures of the "Democratic Taurida", a new structure was created - the "Republican Movement of Crimea" (RDK).
After the collapse of the USSR
1990s
On December 1, 1991, at the all-Ukrainian referendum, 54% of the inhabitants of Crimea and 57% of the inhabitants of Sevastopol supported the independence of Ukraine.
On February 26, 1992, by decision of the Supreme Council of Autonomy, the Crimean ASSR was renamed the Republic of Crimea, and on May 6 of the same year, the Crimean constitution was adopted, which confirmed this name, and also established the entry of Crimea into Ukraine on a contractual basis, however, the Supreme Council of Ukraine did not approved the name "Republic of Crimea".
In 1992-1994, pro-Russian political forces attempted to separate Crimea from Ukraine - for example, on May 5, 1992, the Supreme Council of Crimea adopted a resolution to hold an all-Crimean referendum on the independence and state independence of the Republic of Crimea, which was subsequently canceled due to the intervention of the Verkhovna Rada Ukraine.
On May 21, 1992, the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation adopted its own resolution, which recognized the decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR of February 5, 1954 "On the transfer of the Crimean region from the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR" "null and void from the moment of adoption" due to the fact that it was adopted "in violation of the Constitution (Basic Law) of the RSFSR and the legislative procedure." At the same time, the Russian parliament clarified that in connection with the constitution of the subsequent legislation of the RSFSR of the fact of the transfer of the Crimean region and the conclusion between Ukraine and Russia of an agreement of November 19, 1990, in which the parties renounce territorial claims, as well as in connection with the consolidation of this principle in agreements and agreements between the CIS states, he considers it necessary to resolve the issue of Crimea through interstate negotiations between Russia and Ukraine with the participation of Crimea and on the basis of the will of its population.
On July 9, 1993, the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation, chaired by Ruslan Khasbulatov, adopted a resolution "On the status of the city of Sevastopol", which confirmed "the Russian federal status of the city of Sevastopol within the administrative-territorial boundaries of the city district as of December 1991." Russian President Boris Yeltsin reacted negatively to the actions of the Supreme Council, saying: "I am ashamed of the decision of the parliament ... Do not start a war with Ukraine." The statement of the Russian parliamentarians was made against the backdrop of an acute political crisis in Russia in 1992-1993, which resulted in a tough confrontation between the parliament and the president. In connection with the decision of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation on the status of Sevastopol, Ukraine filed a complaint with the UN Security Council. The UN Security Council, including the representative of Russia, in its statement of July 20, 1993 (S/26118) reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within internationally recognized borders. In 1994, the OSCE mission began its work in Ukraine, the main task of which was to contribute to the stabilization of the situation on the Crimean peninsula. In 1999, in connection with the fulfillment of its mandate, the OSCE mission in Ukraine completed its work.
In 1993, the "Republican Movement of Crimea" (RDK) was transformed into a political organization - the Republican Party of Crimea (RPK). Its leaders put forward a number of slogans of a very radical nature - a course towards rapprochement between the Republic of Crimea and Russia, up to full accession, the conclusion of a military-political alliance with Russia, and the provision of Russian citizenship to the inhabitants of Crimea.
At the beginning of 1994, the highest success of the Crimean pro-Russian movement at that time was recorded: in January, the well-known public figure Yuri Meshkov was elected president of the Republic of Crimea, and the Rossiya bloc, created with the support of the Republican Party of Crimea, won the majority in the Supreme Council of the autonomy. However, after a convincing victory in the elections, the new leadership of Crimea was faced with the lack of a financial, economic, managerial base to ensure real autonomy, as well as the lack of support from Russia itself, whose leadership at that time was trying to get closer to the West and therefore considered the activity of pro-Russian figures abroad as an unpleasant hindrance capable of reviving suspicions in the West about Russia's "permanent imperial ambitions".
In September 1994, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine renamed the Crimean ASSR (Republic of Crimea) into the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and in March 1995 unilaterally abolished the constitution of the Republic of Crimea of 1992 and, accordingly, abolished the post of president of the republic. Deprived of his post, Yuri Meshkov left for Russia (and was able to return only in March 2014). A number of Crimean parties were dissolved (in particular, the parties that were part of the Rossiya bloc).
In 1998, the pro-Russian political forces in Crimea, weakened by the political crisis, were defeated in the elections to the Crimean Supreme Soviet. On October 21, 1998, the Crimean parliament of the new composition adopted a new constitution, brought into line with the constitution of Ukraine.
On the certain time in the activities of pro-Russian organizations, the political component itself faded into the background, while issues of the Russian language, religion, culture, historical self-awareness, maintaining ties with historical homeland. From 1995-1996, the “Russian Community of Crimea” came to the fore, created back in October 1993 by decision of the leaders of the RDK / PKK as a public organization focused in its activities on protecting the interests and rights of the Russians of Crimea and all Crimeans who consider the Russian language and Russian culture by relatives.
Black Sea Fleet
After the collapse Soviet Union A special problem of Ukrainian-Russian relations was the fate of the Black Sea Fleet of the USSR Navy, which was divided between the countries in 1994. During the division of the Soviet fleet in the first half of the 1990s, relations between the military personnel of the Ukrainian and Russian fleets, according to sources, remained at times very tense, sometimes reaching a physical confrontation between them. The situation on the peninsula that developed in 1993-1994 was on the verge of an armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Between 1994 and 1997 The presidents of Russia and Ukraine signed a number of bilateral agreements designed to resolve the situation with the Black Sea Fleet. As a result of negotiations on the division of the fleet, the Ukrainian side got 30 warships and boats, one submarine, 6 ships special purpose, as well as 28 support vessels (total - 67 units), 90 combat aircraft. Russia received 338 ships and vessels, as well as 106 aircraft and helicopters.
According to the Agreement on the status and conditions of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, Russia on the rights of a 20-year lease passed: the main bay of the city - Sevastopolskaya with berths for parking more than 30 warships, Karantinnaya Bay with a brigade of missile boats of the Black Sea Fleet and a diving range , Cossack Bay, where the Marine Corps brigade was stationed, South Bay. Ships of the Russian and Ukrainian fleets were jointly based in Streletskaya Bay. Russia also leased the main arsenal of ammunition, the missile base of the Black Sea Fleet, a landing range and two airfields: Guards near Simferopol and Sevastopol (Kacha). Ukraine agreed to the use by the Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, outside of Sevastopol, of Russian naval facilities: the 31st test center in Feodosia, high-frequency communication points in Yalta and Sudak, and the Crimean military sanatorium. According to the agreements, Russia could have no more than 25 thousand people in Ukraine personnel, 24 artillery systems with a caliber of more than 100 mm, 132 armored vehicles, 22 land-based naval combat aircraft, and the number of Russian ships and vessels should not exceed 388 units. It was possible to place 161 aircraft. The Russian side has pledged not to have nuclear weapons in the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine.
2000s
revival political activity pro-Russian organizations were outlined in 2002, when the Russian Community of Crimea and the Russian Bloc, created with the participation of the RDC / PKK, were able to get their deputies to the Supreme Council of Crimea, and in 2006 expanded their representation following the results of the next elections. In 2003, the "Russian Community of Crimea" was headed by Sergei Tsekov.
The “Orange Revolution” (2004) contributed to the activation of pro-Russian public organizations, many of the slogans of which were perceived by a significant part of the population of the peninsula with sharp hostility. In 2004-2005, the "Russian Community of Crimea" acted as one of the basic socio-political forces in the Crimea, which offered political resistance to the "Orange Revolution". Having declared the illegitimacy of the re-voting of the second round of the presidential elections, the Russian Community of Crimea organized rallies in Simferopol against the political and legal lawlessness in the country and the illegal coming to power of Viktor Yushchenko. In 2006, the "Russian Community of Crimea" took part in the formation of the electoral bloc "For Yanukovych!" in local elections in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Thanks to this, it was possible to ensure a solid representation of the activists of the Community in the Crimean parliament, in the local councils of the autonomy. Chairman of the "Russian Community of Crimea" Sergei Tsekov was elected First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
In December 2009, the Russian Community of Crimea, together with the Civic Activists of Crimea, initiated the creation of the All-Crimean movement "Russian Unity". This initiative was supported by many other Russian public organizations. Sergei Tsekov and Sergei Aksyonov were elected co-chairs of the Russian Unity movement.
In 2010, Russian organizations that participated in the creation of the All-Crimean movement "Russian Unity" came to the conclusion that it was necessary to form a Russian party in Ukraine. This party, which, like the movement of the same name, was called "Russian Unity", was created and officially registered in September 2010. The leader of the Russian Unity party was Sergey Aksyonov, by that time the first deputy chairman of the Russian Community of Crimea.
The possibility of a new conflict in Crimea in connection with the new redistribution of the world was considered high already in the early 2000s.
In the autumn of 2003, a conflict broke out between Russia and Ukraine over the island of Tuzla in the Kerch Strait, caused by the lack of progress in resolving the status of the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov. After the collapse of the USSR, the navigable part of the strait (between the Tuzla spit and the Crimean peninsula) ended up completely in the territorial waters of Ukraine. The Russian part of the Kerch Strait was shallow, suitable only for small fishing boats. September 29, 2003 authorities Krasnodar Territory, without warning the Ukrainian side, started building a dam from the Taman Peninsula towards the border island of Tuzla Spit, motivating this by the need to prevent erosion of the coastline of the Taman Peninsula and the Spit, restore the ecological balance in the region, preserve and restore fish stocks and other biological resources. Kyiv regarded the construction as "an encroachment on the territorial integrity of the country." In response, the Ukrainian side deployed several hundred border guards to the island and sent artillery boats to the Kerch Strait. Soon both sides began to build up their military presence in the region. On October 23, the construction of the dam was stopped 102 meters from the state border line (unilaterally proclaimed by Ukraine) after the meeting of Presidents Putin and Kuchma, who signed the “Agreement on Cooperation in the Use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait” in December 2003, however, the status of Tuzla as and the status of the Kerch Strait was never finally settled by the parties.
Yushchenko presidency
After Viktor Yushchenko came to power in Ukraine in 2005, Russian-Ukrainian relations deteriorated sharply. Moscow negatively assessed both the Orange Revolution itself and the policy of the new Ukrainian president regarding the language issue, interpretations of the history of the Holodomor and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, and his course towards NATO membership. Yushchenko's policy did not find support among the majority of the inhabitants of the Crimean peninsula either.
In 2006, Viktor Yushchenko stated that Ukraine would adhere to the provisions of the agreement on the status and conditions for the presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on Ukrainian territory only until 2017. Yushchenko said that the Constitution of Ukraine does not provide for the possibility of military bases of foreign states on Ukrainian territory, and therefore the Ukrainian president instructed to begin preparations for the withdrawal Russian fleet after 2017.
Another controversial issue between the Russian Federation and Ukraine was the conflict over the Crimean lighthouses, which began at the end of 2005. Then Ukraine announced the need for an inventory of all facilities used by the Russian fleet. However, any attempts to verify the use of facilities were suppressed by the Russian side. Kyiv sought the transfer of navigation and hydrographic objects under its jurisdiction. The Ukrainian side argued that the 1997 Treaty defines the list of objects and areas that were transferred to the Black Sea Fleet for temporary use for 20 years, other objects, including lighthouses, were to be returned to Ukraine. However, in 1997, the parties also agreed to develop an additional agreement on navigation and hydrographic support, which was not done. By decisions of the Ukrainian courts, it was ordered to seize the navigational and hydrographic objects of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia and transfer them to the Ukrainian side. The High Command of the Russian Navy insisted that the dispute over the ownership of the lighthouses between the two countries would be resolved through negotiations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Russia. After the attempts of the Ukrainian representatives of the public organization "Student Brotherhood" to penetrate the territory of the navigation and hydrographic facilities controlled by the Russian fleet, the Russian side strengthens the military protection of these facilities. In response, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called on Russia not to violate the provisions of the agreement on the status and conditions for the presence of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine.
In 2006, the Crimean peninsula was covered by a wave of protests against Ukraine's entry into NATO. In the spring, thousands of people protest against NATO exercises in Feodosia, during which protesters blocked unloading at the commercial port of an American cargo ship, on board there were cargoes for the planned Sea Breeze 2006 exercises. Protests also took place at the airport of Simferopol, where the Alliance plane landed, and Alushta , where 140 American specialists were blocked in the Druzhba sanatorium. On June 6, 2006, the Crimean Supreme Council decided to declare the peninsula a “territory without NATO”. For this statement, 61 out of 78 deputies of the local parliament voted. The presidential representative in Crimea, Gennady Moskal, called the decision contrary to the Constitution. Against the backdrop of the conflict, one of the leaders of the Party of Regions at that time, Taras Chernovol, said: “The Verkhovna Rada did not give consent to the arrival of the American military in Ukraine. The arrival of a NATO landing force in Feodosia, according to international law, can be qualified either as aggression, or, in case of consent from the Ukrainian government, military and border guards, as treason.” On June 11-12, 2006, the US military left the Crimea without taking part in the exercises on the peninsula.
In August 2008, after the outbreak of the armed conflict in South Ossetia, Ukraine became the only CIS country that openly sided with Georgia and demanded that Russia immediately withdraw its troops from its territory. On August 10, Ukraine warned the Russian side against the participation of its ships of the Black Sea Fleet in the conflict, otherwise threatening to prevent the ships from returning back to Crimea. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said that because of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, Ukraine is being drawn into a military conflict, not wanting it. On August 13, the President of Ukraine established new order crossing the Ukrainian border by ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation, according to which the Black Sea Fleet forces could cross the border of the republic only with the notification of the headquarters of the Ukrainian Navy about their actions at least 72 hours in advance. The Russian Foreign Ministry regarded Yushchenko's decree on the Black Sea Fleet as a new anti-Russian step. On September 5, Yushchenko called the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation a threat to the security of Ukraine. In Crimea, however, the majority of the population supported Russia's position in the conflict. On September 17, the leader of the "Russian Community of Crimea" Sergei Tsekov initiated the appeal of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with a call to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The appeal was supported by representatives of the Crimean republican branches of the Party of Regions, the Russian Block Party, the Communist Party of Ukraine, the Progressive socialist party Ukraine, a number of city councils, republican national-cultural societies. “We, the Crimeans, are in solidarity with the fraternal Ossetian people and wish them unity, freedom, success in restoring the destroyed economy caused by aggression,” said the appeal sent in June 2009 by the Russian community of Crimea to the participants of the VII World Congress of the Ossetian people.
Against this background, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Volodymyr Ogryzko even accused the Russian authorities of "secretly distributing Russian passports residents of Crimea. Russia denied these accusations.
The intensification of the policy of the Yushchenko administration, which followed the events of 2008, was perceived by the organizations of the Russian population of Crimea as a set of hostile measures, which in many cases provoked a sharp reaction. Thus, the Charter of Strategic Partnership signed in December 2008 by the heads of the foreign ministries of Ukraine and the United States, which, in particular, implies the opening of a US diplomatic mission in Simferopol with an unclear status and functions, received an unambiguously negative assessment. Meeting in January 2009 with the American Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor, the leader of the "Russian Community" Sergei Tsekov said that the opening of the "post of presence" of the United States in Crimea would serve as a pretext for constant conflicts and tensions. A significant part of the Crimean population, Tsekov stressed, does not trust the United States because of their policy towards Russia and the course of unconditional support for Yushchenko. “60 percent of Russians by nationality live in Crimea, 80 percent by language - you must take these realities into account! - said the leader of the "Russian community" to the ambassador. - Russia is our Motherland, and we will not betray it, and you should know this. This is a reality to be reckoned with.”
After the 2008 war in Georgia, a number of experts suggested that the next conflict in Europe would be the confrontation in Crimea between Russia and Ukraine.
The Russian-speaking majority of the population and the politics of the Ukrainian elites allowed some researchers to suggest already in 2010 that the political split in Ukraine could lead to a referendum in Crimea on joining Russia.
Yanukovych presidency
With the election of Viktor Yanukovych to the post of President of Ukraine, Russian-Ukrainian relations have changed significantly. By the time he took office as head of state, Yanukovych looked like a pro-Russian politician who opposed Ukraine's rapprochement with NATO, for Russian as the second state language in the country, and held different views on the Holodomor and the OUN-UPA than his predecessor Yushchenko.
On April 21, 2010, the Presidents of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych signed agreements in Kharkov, according to which Ukraine received a discount on gas in the amount of $100 for every thousand cubic meters, and the Russian Black Sea Fleet remained in Crimea until 2042. The agreement was extremely ambiguously perceived in Ukrainian society, the opposition accused Yanukovych of betraying national interests, up to the surrender of sovereignty over the Crimean peninsula to Russia, and the ratification of the agreements in the Verkhovna Rada was accompanied by large-scale clashes between parliament deputies.
At the same time, several key issues related to the presence of the fleet on Ukrainian territory remained unresolved. First of all, there was the problem of modernizing the weapons and equipment of the units stationed in the Crimea. For Moscow, this was one of the key issues, since the physical and moral obsolescence of equipment threatened to lose the combat capability of the fleet in the near future. The Ukrainian authorities were ready to agree with the appearance of modern ships of the Russian Navy in the Crimea, but insisted that the agreement on the renewal of military equipment should include a point of mandatory coordination with Ukraine for the replacement of ships and aircraft, which was categorically unacceptable to the Russian leadership. Another controversial issue was the intention of the Ukrainian side to collect customs duties on all goods imported for the needs of the Russian fleet. In Moscow, they absolutely did not agree with this, moreover, the Russian side tried to achieve the abolition of all existing taxes that were in effect for goods imported to ensure the viability of the Russian fleet. The problem of lighthouses in use by the Russian Black Sea Fleet also remained unresolved. In 2011, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine demanded that the Russian side return the lighthouses. At the same time, the representative of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Oleg Voloshin, said: “We do not want to turn the issue of lighthouses into conflict situation”, adding that the search for a compromise will continue at the meeting of the Ukrainian-Russian working group.
On July 2, 2011, a mass clash between activists of Russian Cossack organizations and the Ukrainian police took place in Feodosia. The conflict flared up after the court forbade the Cossacks to install a bow cross at the entrance to the city, as it caused discontent of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis. The Cossacks, ignoring the decision of the court, arbitrarily installed the cross, which was soon dismantled by the local authorities. When trying to restore the cross, on the site of the dismantled monument, the Cossacks were met by a police detachment. Trying to get through the police cordon, the Cossacks provoked a clash with law enforcement officers. 10 activists were detained, about 15 people from among the Cossacks received serious bodily injuries.
In July 2011 he returned to Crimea ex-president Crimean Republic Yuri Meshkov after 16 years of absence from the peninsula. However, on July 13, the District Administrative Court of Crimea upheld the SBU’s submission to expel the ex-president of Crimea from the territory of Ukraine with a five-year entry limit, after Meshkov’s calls for the “restoration of the sovereignty of Crimea” upon his return to the peninsula. Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada from the Party of Regions, head of the "Coordinating Council of Organizations of Russian Compatriots of Ukraine" Vadym Kolesnichenko then said that "Meshkov is a person who caused enormous harm to Crimea, Crimean statehood, and Crimeans. Therefore, it is correct."
After Viktor Yanukovych announced the course towards signing the Association with the EU, he began to rapidly lose support among the electorate of the South and East of Ukraine. If in the second round of the presidential elections in February 2010 in the eastern regions, Yanukovych won from 71% to 90% of the vote, in the southern regions - from 60% to 78%, then in May 2013, according to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), 26% of Ukrainians were ready to vote for the incumbent in the east of the country and 21% in the south. Experts noted that during the three years of his presidency, Yanukovych spoiled relations with Russia, did not make Russian the second state language and did not agree on a lower gas price, which undermined the support of the president by the pro-Russian electorate. However, the main problems in the country remained a high level of corruption and social vulnerability of the population.
Aggravation of the political situation in Crimea in late 2013 - early 2014
During the political crisis in Ukraine that began in November 2013, the leadership of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea supported the position of President Yanukovych and the government of Azarov and criticized the actions of the opposition as threatening, in the opinion of the parliament, the political and economic stability of the country. The Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea supported the decision of the Prime Minister to suspend the process of European integration and called on the Crimeans " strengthen friendly ties with the regions of the Russian Federation».
Of great importance in the current situation was the position of the Crimean Tatar community, the third largest in Crimea, which was largely determined by the attitude of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people - a public organization (representative body) of the Crimean Tatars. During the Euromaidan period, the Mejlis spoke out in support of European integration and against “ establishing an authoritarian regime” in Ukraine, that is, from positions directly opposite to the opinion of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. After the forceful dispersal of the Euromaidan on the night of November 30, 2013, the Presidium of the Mejlis officially condemned the actions of the authorities, declared its solidarity with the demands for the immediate resignation of the Azarov government and the holding of early elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and also sharply criticized the position of the Supreme Council of Crimea. The Mejlis regularly sent organized groups of Crimean Tatars to Kyiv to participate in the Euromaidan.
On December 1, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea announced that opposition demonstrations in Kyiv " jeopardize political and economic stability in Ukraine" and " a bunch of politicians are trying to seize power in the country under the guise of fighting for the European vector of development».
On December 2, after mass demonstrations and clashes with the police in the center of Kyiv, the Crimean parliament called on Viktor Yanukovych to " restore order in the country without stopping before the introduction of a state of emergency».
On December 3, the Presidium of the Armed Forces of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea invited the President and the Cabinet of Ministers to consider the possibility of Ukraine joining Customs Union EurAsEC, which was categorically opposed by the supporters of the Euromaidan, and on December 11 called on the population of Crimea " be ready to defend autonomy».
December 13, 2013 People's Deputy of Ukraine from the party VO Svoboda, member of the parliamentary committee on national security and defense, Yuriy Sirotyuk said that “if the Ukrainian authorities do not strangle the Euromaidan, and Yanukovych’s position does not suit the Russian side, then the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation may try to take over the situation in autonomy.” According to him, in the premises of the Russian Consulate in Simferopol, with the participation of the Russian consul Vyacheslav Svetlichny, a meeting was held between the head of the Russian Block party Gennady Basov, the head of the Russian Unity party Sergei Aksyonov and some people's deputies from the Party of Regions, during which they discussed the possibility of holding a in Crimea, with the help of the Party of Regions and pro-Russian forces, a large anti-Maidan rally, the key demand of which will be a referendum on the state independence of Crimea. He also reported on the information available about military exercises planned by the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the legend of which includes, in particular, the seizure of administrative buildings.
In mid-January 2014, due to the aggravation of the confrontation in Kyiv and the unfolding campaign of seizures of administrative buildings in a number of regions of Ukraine, the Russian Community of Crimea and the Russian Unity party, together with representatives of the Cossacks and organizations of Afghan veterans, took the initiative in the formation of people's self-defense squads, the forces of popular resistance in case of attempts to penetrate Crimea by extremists and neo-Nazis.
On January 22, the Supreme Council of the ARC adopted a statement stating that if " criminal scenario» « color revolution"is implemented, then the Crimea will face the threat of losing" all the gains of autonomy and its status. Parliament said it would not give up Crimea extremists and neo-Nazis", striving" seize power» in the country and « Crimeans will never participate in illegitimate elections<…>and will not live in "Bandera" Ukraine»
On January 24, the Presidium of the Armed Forces of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea called on Yanukovych to introduce a state of emergency and stop funding from the state budget. outlawed regions where power has been forcibly removed, until constitutional order is restored in them”, and three days later banned the activities of nationalist party Svoboda, which takes an active part in protests, but later, at the request of the prosecutor's office, lifted this ban.
On January 24, 2014, the Russian Block party announced recruitment for self-defense units " to fight the Bandera bastard". Mayor Vladimir Yatsuba urged local residents be ready to defend the city. At the same time, more than ten public organizations prepared an appeal to the townspeople, which stated that in the event of a coup d'état " Sevastopol, using its right to self-determination, will leave the legal field of Ukraine". The appeal was initiated by the Sevastopol Coordinating Council.
On January 27, at a meeting of the Association of Local Self-Government Bodies of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, chaired by the Speaker of the Crimean Parliament Vladimir Konstantinov, it was decided to create Crimean voluntary squads in order to assist law enforcement in the protection of public order. The Crimean Tatar Mejlis came out with sharp protests against the creation of voluntary squads, which regarded this decision as a manifestation of separatism in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
On February 4, 2014, a meeting of the Presidium of the Armed Forces of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea took place, at which Vladimir Klychnikov, chairman of the commission for interaction with local self-government bodies, proposed initiating a general Crimean survey on the status of Crimea and appealing to the president and parliament of the Russian Federation to act as guarantors of the inviolability of the status of Crimea's autonomy. In this regard, the SBU opened criminal proceedings on the fact of preparations for an encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine. In turn, some representatives of the Ukrainian parliamentary opposition sharply criticized these statements and called for the Crimean parliament to be held accountable on suspicion of violating the Constitution and laws of Ukraine. A call to dissolve this legislative body was made by the deputy of the Verkhovna Rada from the opposition "Fatherland" Nikolai Tomenko, and the deputy from the party "Svoboda" Alexander Shevchenko demanded that the Crimean parliamentarians be held criminally liable.
On February 18, in connection with the next aggravation of the situation in Kyiv, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea sent an appeal to the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, publishing it on its official website: “ Today we demand from you as head of state decisive action and emergency action. This is also expected by hundreds of thousands of Crimeans who voted for you in the presidential elections in the hope of stability in the country". The Presidium stated that in the case of " further escalation of civil strife» Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea « reserves the right to call on the inhabitants of the autonomy to stand up for civil peace and tranquility on the peninsula».
On February 20, the speaker of the Crimean parliament Vladimir Konstantinov, while in Moscow, where he held meetings with the leaders of the parliamentary factions of the State Duma, said in an interview with Interfax that he did not exclude the separation of Crimea from Ukraine in the event of an aggravation of the situation in the country. Answering the question whether, given the unfavorable development of the situation in Ukraine, it is necessary to hold a referendum on the secession of Crimea, he said that he prefers “ do not chew» this topic, since Crimea is one of the pillars of the central government and « if we start doing this, we will simply destroy this central government". At the same time, Vladimir Konstantinov added that the fight is not for Crimea, but for Kyiv. However, if, nevertheless, under pressure this central authority is broken, the Supreme Council of Crimea will recognize only its own decisions as legitimate for the autonomy. " And then we will have the only way - this is the denunciation of the decision of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the CPSU of 1954 ... From now on, we will recognize those decisions that we consider necessary».
February - March 2014
On February 21, under pressure from Western countries, President Yanukovych signed an agreement with the opposition to resolve the crisis in Ukraine. On the same day, Yanukovych left Kyiv.
The next day, a video recording of an interview with Yanukovych was aired, where he stated that he did not intend to either resign or sign the decisions of the Verkhovna Rada, which he considers illegal, and he qualified what was happening in the country as “vandalism, banditry and a coup d'état”. A few hours later, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution stating that Yanukovych had “unconstitutionally removed himself from the exercise of constitutional powers” and was not fulfilling his duties, and also scheduled early presidential elections for May 25, 2014.
The change of power in Ukraine and a number of subsequent actions by the former opposition that came to power caused a sharp surge in protest activity by pro-Russian forces in Crimea. Unlike in 1992-1994, these performances were actively supported by the Russian Federation.
As it became known from the release in March 2015 documentary film"Crimea. Way home”, on the night of February 22-23, by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a special operation was carried out to evacuate Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his family members to a safe place in Crimea. At seven o'clock in the morning on February 23, closing a meeting with the heads of the special services involved, Vladimir Putin, in his words, said: The situation has unfolded in such a way in Ukraine that we are forced to start work on returning Crimea to Russia, because we cannot leave this territory and the people who live there to the mercy of fate under the skating rink of nationalists". He told that " at the same time, he set certain tasks, said what and how we should do, but immediately emphasized that we would do this only if we were absolutely convinced that the people who live in Crimea themselves want it».
On February 23, during a rally in front of the building of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Simferopol, dedicated to the Defender of the Fatherland Day, the Russian Unity party and the Russian Community of Crimea announced the mobilization of Crimeans into people's squads to protect peace and tranquility in Crimea. According to the press service of the Russian Unity party, more than two thousand men signed up for the people's squads. From among the women who came to the event, a medical aid squad was formed.
On February 23-24, under pressure from pro-Russian activists, a change in the executive authorities of Sevastopol was carried out; the actual head of the city was the businessman and citizen of Russia Alexei Chaly, who was appointed head of the Sevastopol city administration for ensuring the life of the city and chairman of the coordinating council under it. During the rally, it was announced the creation of self-defense units from among volunteers.
On February 24, the Presidium of the Armed Forces of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea adopted a statement on the situation in the country, in which it noted that Crimea expected an early resolution of the crisis, "undermining the economic security of the state." Recognizing the importance of the transition of the political process “from the streets and squares to the walls of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine”, the Presidium stated that “it is equally important that parliamentarians act strictly within the existing legal field, without crossing the line beyond which the legitimacy of their decisions can be put under doubt”, which, according to the Presidium of the Armed Forces of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, “so far they are not fully successful”.
Late in the evening of February 24, a group of deputies of the Russian State Duma arrived in Simferopol, headed by the chairman of the committee on CIS affairs, Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots Leonid Slutsky. The Russian deputies announced that they intended to hold a series of meetings with representatives Crimean authorities on the political situation on the peninsula. The chairman of the Crimean government, Anatoly Mogilev, reacted negatively to the talks between Russian and Crimean deputies, saying that any contacts with foreign diplomats and citizens at the official level are, according to the current legislation, the prerogative of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. According to the Center investigative journalism”, Leonid Slutsky told his interlocutors in Crimea that the State Duma was ready to think about annexing Crimea to Russia, and announced the start of issuing Russian passports under a simplified procedure.
On the morning of February 25, a group of Crimean intellectuals signed the “Letter of the Fifteen” drawn up the day before, which spoke of the need for an early referendum on the status of Crimea. The letter was read to the townspeople who gathered near the building of the ARC Supreme Council and handed over to the Chairman of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov.
On February 25, the leader of the Russian Community of Crimea, Sergei Tsekov, at a meeting of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, was one of the initiators of the resignation of the Crimean government headed by Anatoly Mogilev, who declared his readiness to follow the instructions of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. For the post of prime minister, he proposed the candidacy of Sergei Aksyonov, leader of the Russian Unity party.
On the night of February 26-27, several groups of armed people occupied the buildings of the Supreme Council and the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Simferopol. Russian flags were raised over the buildings, barricades were erected in front of the buildings. Also, in the early morning of February 27, checkpoints were set up on the Perekop Isthmus and the Chongar Peninsula, through which land communication between Crimea and mainland Ukraine is carried out. This day marked the beginning of active and decisive actions of the pro-Russian forces, which ended with the annexation of Crimea to Russia.
On February 27, by decision of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the leader of the Russian Unity party, Sergey Aksyonov, was appointed to the post of chairman of the government of the autonomy. This decision, which, according to the Constitution of Ukraine and the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, required agreement with the President of Ukraine, was not recognized by the new Ukrainian authorities. According to official statements by the Crimean authorities, the appointment of Aksyonov as prime minister was agreed with Viktor Yanukovych, whom the Crimean authorities continued to regard as the de jure president of Ukraine and through whom they managed to negotiate Russian assistance. The Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea announced the holding of an all-Crimean referendum on the status of autonomy and the expansion of its powers. The presidium of the Supreme Council made a corresponding appeal to the citizens of Crimea. According to the resolution adopted by the Crimean parliament, the referendum was supposed to put the question: "The Autonomous Republic of Crimea has state independence and is part of Ukraine on the basis of treaties and agreements (yes or no)". Voting was scheduled for May 25, 2014. The newspaper of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Krymskie Izvestiya of February 28 stated that there were no provisions on the separation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea from Ukraine on the issue of the referendum, and the purpose of the vote was “to improve the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea so that the rights of autonomy would be guaranteed in case of any changes to the central government or the Constitution of Ukraine. All the steps taken are aimed at reckoning with autonomy, talking about and coordinating decisions central authorities authorities". With the publication of the document, the resolution of the Crimean parliament on holding a referendum on May 25 came into force.
On March 1, Sergei Aksenov reassigned all the power structures of the republic to himself and officially appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a request "to assist in ensuring peace and tranquility on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea." On the same day, Putin submitted an appeal to the Federation Council on the use of the Russian Armed Forces on the territory of Ukraine "until the normalization of the socio-political situation in this country." The Federation Council gave its consent to the use of Russian troops in Ukraine.
In early March, Russian military personnel and Crimean self-defense units blocked all military facilities of the Ukrainian armed forces in Crimea. An ultimatum was delivered to the Ukrainian military: “either go over to the side of the Crimean authorities, or lay down their arms, or leave” from the territory of the peninsula, otherwise they were promised an assault military units. In the absence of clear orders from Kyiv, the Ukrainian military did not offer armed resistance to Russian troops, which allowed the latter to capture Ukrainian military bases and garrisons on the peninsula without a fight. However, the Russian leadership long time denied the involvement of Russian military personnel in the events in Crimea, recognizing its military intervention only after the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation.
On March 4, Vladimir Putin said that Russia is not considering the option of annexing Crimea to Russia, "only the citizens themselves, in conditions of freedom of expression in conditions of security, can and should determine their future." In early March, as Putin acknowledged on April 10, secret opinion polls, during which it was found that the vast majority of residents are in favor of joining Russia. After receiving the results of secret polls, Putin made the final decisions on the annexation of Crimea.
On March 6, the authorities of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol announced a change in the wording of the referendum question and the postponement of the voting itself to March 16, 2014. Two questions were submitted to the referendum: the annexation of Crimea to Russia as a subject of the federation or the restoration of the 1992 Constitution while maintaining Crimea as part of Ukraine. The possibility of answering both questions in the negative and maintaining the status quo (the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea of 1998) was not foreseen by the organizers of the referendum. The issue that received the majority of votes is considered to express the direct will of the population of Crimea.
On March 7, 2014, the Federation Council announced that it was ready to support Crimea's decision to join the Russian Federation. This information was announced by speaker Valentina Matvienko at a meeting with the Crimean delegation.
On the same day, Acting President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov, referring to the relevant articles of the Constitution of Ukraine and the Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, issued a decree to suspend the decision of the Armed Forces of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to hold a referendum.
On March 11, 2014, the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Sevastopol City Council adopted a declaration on the independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. In accordance with the declaration, in the event that a referendum decides to join Russia, Crimea will be declared a sovereign republic and, in this status, will apply to the Russian Federation with a proposal to be accepted, on the basis of an appropriate interstate agreement, into the Russian Federation as a new subject of the Russian Federation.
On March 14, Oleksandr Turchynov issued a decree suspending the Declaration of Independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, and the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on the same day declared the decision to hold a general Crimean referendum unconstitutional. On March 15, 2014, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a decision on the early termination of the powers of the Supreme Council of the ARC, referring to the relevant articles of the Constitution of Ukraine and the Constitution of the ARC, as well as to the said decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
The referendum was held on the appointed day, despite the opposition of the Ukrainian authorities. According to officially published data, in the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, 96.77% of those who voted supported the annexation of Crimea to Russia, in Sevastopol - 95.6%. On March 17, the official results of the referendum were approved by the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City Council of Sevastopol. There have been repeated accusations of voter fraud, as according to the report, “ Problems of Crimean residents”, published by the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation, “from 50 to 60% of voters voted for the entry of Crimea into the Russian Federation with a turnout of 30-50%”.
On March 17, 2014, based on the results of the referendum, the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea declared Crimea an independent sovereign state - the Republic of Crimea, in which Sevastopol has a special status - and turned to the Russian Federation with a proposal to accept the Republic of Crimea into the Russian Federation as a new subject of the Russian Federation with the status of a republic. A similar appeal was made by the Sevastopol City Council, which proposed that Russia accept Sevastopol as part of the Russian Federation as a city of federal significance.
On the same day, President Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of the Republic of Crimea and approved a draft treaty on the admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation. On March 18, the agreement was signed, in accordance with it, new subjects are formed in the Russian Federation - the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol. The treaty entered into force from the date of ratification by the Federal Assembly on March 21, but was provisionally applied from the date of signing. For a period until January 1, 2015, a transitional period was introduced in Crimea, during which, in accordance with the Treaty on the Admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation, it was required to resolve the issues of integration of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol into Russia.
On March 20, the agreement was ratified by the State Duma, and on March 21 - by the Federation Council. A federal constitutional law on the annexation of Crimea to Russia was also adopted, providing, in particular, for appropriate changes to the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
On March 21, Vladimir Putin signed the law on the ratification of the treaty on the admission of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation and the federal constitutional law on the annexation of Crimea to Russia and the transition period for the integration of new subjects of the Federation. On the same day, the Crimean Federal District (KFD) was formed. Oleg Belaventsev was appointed Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in Crimea.
After the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on March 21, 2014 established the medal "For the Return of Crimea". The first medals were awarded on March 24, 2014.
The legal side of the issue
Within the framework of the legislation of the Russian Federation
According to the current Constitution of the Russian Federation (Article 65, part 2), “the admission to the Russian Federation and the formation of a new subject in its composition are carried out in the manner established by the federal constitutional law”, according to which the admission to the Russian Federation as a new subject of “a foreign state or part thereof » is carried out exclusively by mutual agreement between Russia and another interested state. The initiative to accept a new subject of the federation formed on the territory of a “foreign state” into Russia should come from the territory that wants to become part of the Russian Federation, and it is from this state, and not from the breakaway part. This provision of the law was confirmed in 2004 by the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation in connection with the request of the unrecognized republic South Ossetia become part of the Russian Federation.
On February 28, 2014, Sergei Mironov, a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, amended the current legislation, allowing the admission of a part of a foreign state into the Russian Federation (on the initiative of local authorities or the results of a local referendum) in the absence of “effective sovereign” power in this state and the impossibility of providing it with civil rights by the authorities. rights. According to one of the authors of the Russian constitution and former State Duma deputy Viktor Sheinis, if Mironov's amendments were approved, the admission of Crimea to the Russian Federation would not violate the norms of Russian law, but would be a serious violation of international law, "which is not required by either the Russian state or the Russian society." On March 21, the Venice Commission gave its opinion on the bill, which concluded that the bill also does not comply with the Constitution of the Russian Federation. By that time, in connection with the adoption of the declaration on the independence of Crimea on March 11, the need for amendments had disappeared. On March 17 they were recalled from the State Duma.
The Law on the Admission of New Subjects to the Russian Federation provides that if a territory is admitted to the Russian Federation, it must be granted the status of a republic, territory, region, autonomous region or autonomous district (but not a city of federal significance, as happened with Sevastopol). The Constitutional Court of Russia, referring to Article 5 of the Constitution, considered it acceptable to accept Sevastopol as part of Russia as a city of federal significance, but did not directly declare whether the restriction established by law remains in principle in force or whether it is canceled as unconstitutional.
Russian lawyer, member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation Elena Lukyanova, speaking about the assessment of the actions of the Constitutional Court provided for by law when accepting a part of a foreign state into its composition - checking for compliance with an international treaty that has not entered into force with the Constitution, named eight cases of violation by the court of its own procedures. In response, the head of the Russian Constitutional Court, Valery Zorkin, referred to the fact that “for centuries and even millennia, Russia has been held together by the highest spiritual bonds, which were called differently in different times. Being fastened by these ties, it could treat legal ties with more or less disdain. In his opinion, “when the ‘armed Maidan landing force’ from Kyiv was ready to go to the Crimea, there was no time for ‘strict legal chicanery’.
Under international law
The Russian leadership, justifying the annexation of Crimea, refers to the UN Charter and the 1970 Declaration on the Principles of International Law, securing the right to self-determination, including “free accession to independent state or association with it”, which, according to the Russian Federation, was implemented “under extreme conditions of the impossibility of exercising (by the population of Crimea) the right to self-determination within Ukraine, aggravated by the coming to power of illegal authorities that do not represent the entire Ukrainian people”, as well as the precedent with the recognition of the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo. In addition, Russia claims that it did not exceed the limit on the number of troops in Crimea, established in the agreements on the Black Sea Fleet, and "did not violate" them.
The Ukrainian leadership, for its part, considers Russia's actions to annex Crimea as a direct violation of the Budapest Memorandum, by which Russia, Great Britain and the United States confirmed to Ukraine their obligation, in accordance with the principles of the Final Act of the CSCE, to respect the independence, sovereignty and existing borders of Ukraine, the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation and partnership, by which the Russian Federation and Ukraine pledged to respect each other's integrity and recognized the borders existing between them, and the Treaty on the Russian-Ukrainian State Border, according to which Crimea is recognized as an integral part of Ukraine.
The Venice Commission, which is an advisory body of the Council of Europe on constitutional law, declared the referendum in Crimea illegitimate, concluding that it violated, in addition to the Constitution of Ukraine, the basic international principles regarding the territorial integrity and sovereignty of subjects of international law.
The opinion that there were no signs of annexation in the international legal sense in the annexation of Crimea to Russia, which had already taken place by that time, was subsequently defended in the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper by Reinard Merkel, a doctor of jurisprudence, professor at the University of Hamburg, who, nevertheless, qualified Russia's actions in Crimea as a military attack to Ukraine.
The German law professor Otto Luchterhandt believes that from the point of view of international law, the autonomous status of the Republic of Crimea, with its special powers, actually "exhausts" the right to self-determination. The German lawyer also noted that Russia could not include Crimea in its composition without violating its international obligations and the norms of its own legislation. Luchterhandt referred to paragraph 4 of Article 15 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which states that “generally recognized principles and norms of international law and international treaties of the Russian Federation are an integral part of its legal system. If an international treaty of the Russian Federation establishes other rules than those provided for by law, then the rules of the international treaty shall apply.
The President of the Institute of International Law and the School of Law of Tallinn University, Rein Mullerson, called the main prerequisite for the "Ukrainian tragedy" the degradation of the system of international law that has occurred in recent years through the fault of Western countries and manifested itself, in particular, in their intervention in the Ukrainian political crisis, and the main responsible for events in Ukraine - all Ukrainian authorities, since 1991, who have not "built bridges in a divided country." Nevertheless, Mullerson regarded what happened in Crimea as an act of aggression, since the actions of Russian troops in Crimea violated the Russian-Ukrainian agreements on the Black Sea Fleet. According to him, the March 16 referendum was contrary to international law precisely because of Russia’s violation of the principle of non-use of force or threat of force against a foreign state, and not because of a violation of the Constitution of Ukraine or “less applicability of the principle of self-determination of peoples to Crimea than to Scotland or Quebec”, and even “the sincere desire of the Crimeans to join Russia, expressed, among other things, in the referendum on March 16, does not make it legal. At best, it can be assessed as legitimate.”
According to the head of the Department of History of State and Law of the Faculty of Law of Moscow State University, Doctor of Law Vladimir Tomsinov, the separation of Crimea from Ukraine and its support by Russian troops were legitimate, since the “coup d'état in Ukraine” created, in his opinion, the threat of “eradicating Russian culture , Russian language, historical memory of Russian and Ukrainian people” by the new authorities (which is why the population of Crimea “cannot exercise the right to self-determination without leaving the state in which they live”), and the Russian troops, in this situation, were called upon to “save the people of Crimea from violent actions by the Ukrainian authorities or radically minded nationalists who deprive citizens of the opportunity to hold a referendum.
Economic consequences
As part of Ukraine, Crimea was a "deeply subsidized region", the budget of which was replenished by more than half from the state budget of Ukraine. On April 17, 2014, Vladimir Putin said that “his Ukrainian colleagues confessed to him” that Crimea was artificially made a subsidized region: “More money was taken out of it than from other territories, and redistributed to other places.”
The socio-economic indicators of Crimea are several times lower than those of Russia. As of May 2014, 95% of the region's budget was funded by the Russian Federation. In accordance with the draft law on the Crimean budget, in 2015 47 billion rubles from the Russian federal budget will be spent on its replenishment.
In total, about 100 billion rubles will be spent on Crimea in 2015, and 373 billion rubles in 2015-2017. Under the federal target program for the development of Crimea and Sevastopol until 2020, federal budget expenditures will amount to 733.5 billion rubles.
As of May 2014, federal budget spending on Crimea exceeded 100 billion rubles. This money was allocated from the government's anti-crisis fund, which was replenished, among other things, from the funded part of Russians' pensions. As of July 2014, transfers to Crimea from the federal budget exceeded 130 billion rubles.
As the general director of the Economic Expert Group, Alexander Andryakov, stated, “expenses on Crimea are unprecedented - so much from federal center not even the North Caucasian republics get it.” According to Standard & Poor's, Crimea will be among the most subsidized regions of Russia.
Sanctions in connection with the annexation of Crimea to Russia
In connection with the non-recognition of the legality of the annexation of Crimea to Russia, a number of countries and international organizations imposed economic sanctions against the Russian Federation.
March 17, 2014 European Union and the United States of America announced the imposition of sanctions in response to the referendum held in Crimea on joining Russia, which they consider illegitimate. They imposed sanctions on two dozen Russian and Crimean officials, who were banned from entering the States and Europe, and their accounts in American and European banks were frozen. Canada and Japan also announced the imposition of sanctions against Russia in connection with the situation in Ukraine.
Ukraine's reaction
On March 18, 2014, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine presented A. Vorobyov, Charge d'Affaires of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, with a note of protest against Russia's recognition of the Republic of Crimea and the signing of the Treaty on the admission of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation.
On April 15, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the law "On Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Citizens and the Legal Regime in the Temporarily Occupied Territory of Ukraine." The law declares the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as the airspace above them, the internal and territorial waters of Ukraine, including the underwater space, their bottom and subsoil, as territories temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, and establishes a special legal regime in this territory. According to the law, the Crimean peninsula is declared an integral part of the territory of Ukraine, which is subject to Ukrainian legislation. On January 27, 2015, the Ukrainian parliament adopted a resolution according to which Russia's policy towards Ukraine is regarded as an aggression that began with the use of Russian troops in Crimea at the end of February 2014, and which continued during the war in Donbas.
According to the October 2014 Gallup Poll, Ukrainians strongly disapprove of the annexation of Crimea to Russia, only 4% approve, while ordinary residents do not believe that the region should be returned immediately, only 16% of citizens are in favor of it. According to the survey, 34% of the country's residents believe that Crimea should not be returned.
International reaction to accession
The annexation of Crimea to Russia caused a predominantly negative international reaction. The Western community (G7, NATO and EU member states) regarded Russia's actions as aggression, annexation of Ukrainian territory, undermining its territorial integrity. Russia, in turn, considers the annexation of Crimea as a realization of the right of the local population to self-determination.
March 27, 2014 United Nations General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution in support of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the text of which declares the all-Crimean referendum on 16 March 2014 null and void. Of the 193 UN member states, 100 states voted “for” the adoption of the resolution, 11 voted “against” (Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, Sudan), abstained - 58, did not vote - 24.
Publication date: 07/21/2016
For many years now there have been disputes between Ukraine and Russia about who owns the Crimean peninsula. If earlier these two fraternal countries managed to somehow settle this issue (since 1997, Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement on friendship and partnership, according to which the Russian Federation recognized Crimea as part of Ukraine, and until 2014 adhered to this agreement), then today all has changed, to the point that relations between the always friendly and fraternal countries have become very tense.
The reason for this was the annexation of the autonomous republic by Russia. According to the political leadership of Ukraine, the referendum held on the peninsula was completely illegal, and Crimea was and is part of Ukraine, which was temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation. The same opinion is shared by most of the UN member states, which took the side of Ukraine in this conflict.
In turn, Russia believes that the Crimean peninsula is part of the federation, presenting as evidence the desire of the Crimeans themselves to become part of the largest state in terms of area, which confirms the earlier referendum (96% voted for joining). The inhabitants of the peninsula themselves have divided opinions, someone considers Crimea a part of Ukraine and does not recognize the referendum, while someone voted for joining Russia. There are also those for whom it is not so important what kind of leadership to live under, the main thing is that there should be no war, to which the recent events on the peninsula almost led.
Crimea is part of Russia, what region is it ???
On March 16, 2014, Crimea became part of Russia, which was confirmed by the signing of the relevant agreement. This date is recognized as a public holiday. Thus, March 16 is a day off for all Russians. The federation included two new subjects: the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol. Also, three state languages were adopted on the peninsula: Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar, and Sergey Aksenov became the head of the region. The last two years after the reunification, the Crimean peninsula has been under sanctions and blockade, the inhabitants of Crimea are forced to save on electricity, in some cities it generally appears with a three-hour break, food prices have increased significantly. According to the latest census data, there is a decrease in the number of Ukrainians on the peninsula, and there is an increase in the Russian population. And those Ukrainians who continue to live in the Crimean region, according to the latest laws, must change their Ukrainian passport to Russian. For those who do not want to change citizenship, a special residence permit is provided, which must be issued as soon as possible. Due to the rapid increase in ticket prices to the Crimea, the number of tourists on the peninsula has also decreased.
In order to book a room in one of the local hotels, follow this link.
But the inhabitants of the peninsula themselves, despite all the difficulties, do not cease to believe that over time everything will certainly get better, and the conflict will end with a compromise solution for the two sides.