Russian parliamentarian presented a bill to nullify the decision to donate Crimea to Ukraine

(Dan Tri) – Russian lawmakers have submitted to parliament a bill that would allow history to be rewritten, nullifying the Soviet-era decision to give the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine.

Kerch Bridge connects the Crimean peninsula with mainland Russia (Photo: Reuters).

TASS reported that MPs Konstantin Zatulin and Sergei Tsekov presented a bill to the Russian State Duma (lower house) to nullify the Soviet government’s 1954 decision to hand over the Crimean peninsula to Ukraine.

The bill describes the 1954 transfer as arbitrary and illegal because no referendum was held and the Soviet authorities had no right to transfer territory from one constituent republic to another.

Accordingly, Article 1 of the bill will invalidate that decision on the grounds that it violates the constitution, international rules and law.

In addition, the Russian Federation, as the legal successor of the Soviet Union and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR), `considers the decision to transfer Crimea without taking into account the will of the people`.

It is unclear when the Russian parliament will begin debating the bill.

According to Reuters, the move by Russian parliamentarians is to create a legal basis for Russia to argue that Crimea has never been part of Ukraine’s territory.

After a period of belonging to the Ottoman Empire, Crimea became Russian territory in 1783, under the reign of Queen Catherine II.

However, on February 19, 1954, this peninsula became a `gift` that Soviet General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev gave to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic.

This issue was decided at a meeting of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR within 15 minutes.

Crimea is located on the southern mainland of Ukraine between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separated from mainland Russia by the narrow Kerch Strait delta.

Crimea, with an area of 26,200 square kilometers and a population of about 2 million people, is a popular tourist destination with seaside resorts, coastal cliffs and wineries, along with wheat fields,

In particular, the port city of Sevastopol in Crimea has been home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet for many years and is considered a military base that plays an important strategic role for Moscow.

Besides its role in helping the country’s navy ensure its influence in the region, Sevastopol is also the only door opening to the Mediterranean for Russian warships.

With a favorable location in the Black Sea, Crimea became a strategic highlight in Russia’s plan to expand its influence at that time.

In 2014, Russia announced the annexation of the Crimean peninsula after a controversial referendum that Ukraine and the West did not recognize.

Crimea is one of the hot spots in the more than 2-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Crimea is located in the south of Ukraine (Photo: AFP).