56 years has passed in February since that day as Crimea has been passed in structure of USSR. Dated for the 300 anniversary of Perejaslavsky rada, united Russia and Ukraine, this step became last territorial acquisition of the future independent Ukrainian state. And, simultaneously, this decision became one of the main occasions to reflexions Crimean and Russian politicum during the Post-Soviet period.

At the time of Soviet Union Crimea changed the administratively-legal status for three times. In 1921 on peninsula the Crimean Independent Soviet Socialist republic as a part of RSFSR has been formed. In 1945 Crimean ASSR has been degraded»in the Crimean area. The peninsula again will find an autonomy only in 1991 — after a corresponding referendum.

But the main occasion to reflexions in Russia and in Crimea throughout last 20 years was and is a 1954. It is no wonder — too many connects peninsula with «continent». «The cradle of Russian Orthodoxy», «the First defence of Sevastopol», «the Outcome of white army and the end of civil war», «the Second defence of Sevastopol» is only very first cultural associations which arise when it comes about Crimea. If to aim, the list of surnames and the historical events which have defined Russian attitude, and thus connected with Crimea, hardly can go in on one page.

Whether it is necessary to be surprised that in the first years after Union disintegration on February, 19th, 1954 was one of the most irritating dates for the majority of inhabitants of peninsula. Unavailability to be built in a new paradigm of the Ukrainian state was supported with frankly illiterate and provocative policy of several generations of the Ukrainian authorities. Simultaneously, Russian Crimea continued to peer with hope at Russia — after all it connected with it not only the past, but also as then suspected peninsula, the future. But in postreorganization decade the policy in the former Union was defined not by weights, and elite — those that have fixed new geographical borders in contracts and laws. Every year Crimea gradually got used to the new status — autonomous republic as a part of Ukraine.

Since then has passed twenty years — the new generation in this time has had time to grow. It is brought up by those who continues to consider Soviet Union as the «the big native land», it continues to love Russia and to rejoice to its successes, it accepts its failures and tragedy as own. But thus, the new generation has grown already in other country. To the country which continues to search for the identity hardly. It is possible to sneer at the Ukrainian political system, but today Ukraine — one of few Post-Soviet republics in which political process is not frozen. Here the president and the prime minister can lose elections, and the leader of opposition — to win.This is rather free political system — has not allowed to collect in the Crimean society to that critical weight of discontent which would become the catalyst of disintegration of the state. The protest left in meetings and demonstrations, elections and protest actions. In the Crimean consciousness the thesis inducing to activity «the peninsula should return to Russia» began to be substituted for passive hope: «Crimea will return to Russia together with Ukraine».

Whether the Crimean society could join the state body of Ukraine as it was, with not less Russian Donbass on ethnocultural structure? The majority of experts consider, that yes — if the policy of official Kiev would not be so unreasoned and frankly Antirussian. If not provocative behaviour of the Ukrainian elite, «prorussian» peninsulas would become a historical phenomenon. After all it’s only Russia’ s fault that it has lost Crimea.

In all official documents of Post-Soviet time (switching on «the Big friendship treaty and cooperation» from 1997) Russia recognised territorial integrity of Ukraine in its present borders. Besides, Russia had too obviously no time for Crimea. All its humanitarian policy on peninsula was reduced to changeable and inconsistent support of some the Prorussian political movements and to symbolical steps like opening in Sevastopol of branch of the Moscow State University (which today gives diplomas, but not education). Forming with Ukraine of «pragmatic relations» in which the policy of «whip» — without any spice-cakes predominated became a final episode in «pushing away» of Crimea.

Even thus Crimeans did not identify themselves with the Ukrainian state. In any opposition of Kiev and Moscow inhabitants of peninsula took the part of Moscow. But the Russian State continues to push away the foreign patriots persistently. Any Russian can be in Crimea (no less than in Ukraine) three months without any allowing documents. But for any citizen of Ukraine term of staying in Russia without check in is limited by three days. A lot of difficulties are in the history with returning to Russia compatriots: not casually this proscale constantly fails. It is enough podobdnyh examples to come to a sad conclusion: Crimeans are necessary less to the modern Russian state, than not knowing language, but cheap and uncomplaining workers from Central Asia and even China.The similar relation has led to that inhabitants of peninsula gradually became assosiate themselves with Ukraine — at least because they do not have other choice.

Today the date of transfering of Crimea in structure of USSR is marked by only loud and empty slogans of a number of the Russian politicians about illegality of the decision of 56-year-old prescription. As a matter of fact, it is small provocations — on returnig of Crimea in an orbit of the cultural and political influence Russia does not do any real steps. Conversations that transfer of Crimea was unauthorized or that Sevastopol didi not pass with Crimea to Ukraine, remain conversations against a recognition of borders of Ukraine the Kremlin. Revanchist statements only play into the hands of the Ukrainian nationalists like Tjagnibok.

But if to reject all crafty and irresponsible statements in the dry rest there is an unfavourable result: Russia has three times lost Crimea. The first time — in 1954 when it has been passed to USSR. The second time — in 1991 when Russia has saved the right to peninsula behind the former union republic. In the third time Russia has lost Crimea in 2000 years — when has subordinated mutual relations with neighbours to idea of «economic feasibility». And that today the Russian mass-media shine not numerous torch processions in the Crimean capital during which time in streets burn down Khruschev’s portraits, does not cancel severe true — on peninsula cease to perceive Moscow as a political guideline. Whether It will be possible to Russia to reserve a role already simply cultural mother country for Crimea, depends only on it.

Pavel Kazarin

www.rosbalt.ru