The first attempts at administrative-territorial division of our lands can be considered the existence of principality lands during the times of Kievan Rus.
In the 9th-12th centuries, the territory of modern Ukraine was divided into Kyiv, Chernigov-Seversk, Pereyaslavl, Volyn and Galician lands. All of them were part of the Kyiv state.
From the middle of the 12th century, the process of decline of the Kyiv state began. The Galician-Volyn principality becomes the heir to the political and cultural traditions of Kievan Rus. In the XIII - first half of the XIV centuries. The Galician-Volyn principality included a significant part of the Ukrainian ethnic territory.
With the death of Yuri II Boleslav in 1340, the decline of the Galician-Volyn state began. In the second half of the 14th century. Most of the Ukrainian lands were captured by foreign powers. For example, Lithuania conquered part of Volyn, Brest and Dorogochinsk lands, Chernigovo-Severshchina, Kyiv and Podolsk lands.
In 1387, as a result of a long-term war between Poland, Hungary and Lithuania, Galicia was annexed to the Kingdom of Poland.
At the beginning In the 1440s, the Volyn and Kiev principalities were restored. However, in the second half of the 15th century, after the death of Svidrigail and Semyon Olelkovich, they were finally liquidated and transformed into Lithuanian provinces. In their place, the Kiev, Bratslav and Volyn voivodships were created, which were governed by grand-ducal governors - voivodes.
After the conclusion of the Union of Lublin between Poland and Lithuania in 1569, all Ukrainian lands, with the exception of Brest and Dorogochinsk, Transcarpathia, Bukovina and Chernihiv region, came under the direct authority of the Kingdom of Poland.
Portolan of the Black Sea basin. By Agnes Battista, 1550. On the map - Rus', Tartary and Muscovy_2.jpg)
Starting in 1608, for about 300 years, Ukraine appeared sporadically on the political map of the world.
In particular, in the years 1608-1615, the borders of the independent Cossack state at that time were not stable, and after some time it was completely transferred to Muscovy. In 1618, Chernigovo-Siverschyna came under Polish rule.
At the beginning of the 17th century. The territory of present-day Ukraine was divided between Poland and Russia. Over the next 35 years, Poland's territory continued to expand, but the division between the two states still remained.
"Typus Generalis Vkraine" (General description of Ukraine). Author - Johann Jansonius, 1649
Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine as part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Author - Carlo Alard, 1670
"Vkraine ou Pays des Cosaques" (Ukraine - the state of the Cossacks). Author - Guillaume Sanson, 1674
"Ukraine grand pays de la Russie Rouge avec une partie de la Pologne, Moscovie..." (Big country - Ukraine, Red Rus', bordering Poland, Russia, Wallachia...). Author - Pierre van Der, 1710
"Amplissima Ucraniae Regio..." (Ukraine and regions). Author - Tobias Conrad Lotter, 1770
During the Russian-Turkish wars of the 18th century. The lands of the "Wild Field" were populated. It was then that the largest cities of modern Southern Ukraine were founded: Elizavetgrad (Kirovograd, 1775), Ekaterinoslav (Dnepropetrovsk, 1776), Kherson (1778), Nikolaev (1789) and Odessa (1794).
As a result of the second and third partitions of Poland in 1793-1795. Right Bank Ukraine and Volyn were annexed to Russia. Galicia, Bukovina and Transcarpathia remained part of Austria-Hungary.
And in 1812, Bessarabia (Moldova and Burjak) was annexed to Russia.
XX century was marked by the appearance of Ukraine on the political map of the world.
Historical map of the Ukrainian State during the time of Hetman Pavlo Skoropadsky, October 1918
The limits of Ukraine, which were declared by the UPR at the Paris Peace Conference. 1919
1923 - the eastern part of Ukraine became part of the Soviet Union, and in 1939 the western territories also joined it.
"Modern division of the Eastern Slavs by language." Atlas of Kudryashov as part of the "Russian Historical Atlas", 1928
Map of the Ukrainian SSR, 1931
Map of Ukraine between the two world wars
Map of the USSR, 1940. Pocket Atlas of the USSR, 11th ed.
In 1954, in accordance with the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Crimea became part of the Ukrainian SSR.
What a modern map of Ukraine looks like:
You can also view the infographic of changes in the borders of Ukraine on video:
False historians should be executed as counterfeiters. — Miguel de Cervantes
Putin's famous Valdai speech, where he made several statements on historical topics. Today, thanks to the Information World, it is possible to know the real history, and not the one that politicians invent.
Borders of Ukraine before 1954
Putin: Don’t you know, these lands were transferred from Russia to Ukraine in the 20s, 21-22, when the Soviet Union was created.
Facts: The statement is not true. In 1921-22, no territories were transferred from Russia to Ukraine. During these years, the Russian-Ukrainian border was not subject to changes.
Putin: Historically these lands have always been called Novorossiya. Essentially there was one region with a center in Novorossiysk, therefore it was called Novorossiya.
Facts: The statement is not true.
The term “Novorossiya” was in active use not “always”, but from the 60s of the 18th century to the 70s of the 19th century, after which it fell out of use and was not used.
In history, there were four administrative-territorial entities with the name “Novorossiya”:
- first Novorossiysk province 1765-1783
- second Novorossiysk province 1796-1802.
- Novorossiysk General Government 1802-1822
- Novorossiysk and Bessarabian General Government 1822-1874
The term “Novorossiya” could not come from the name of the city of Novorossiysk, since Ekaterinoslav (present-day Dnepropetrovsk) was renamed Novorossiysk only in 1796 - 32 years after the formation of the first Novorossiysk province in 1764.
After 6 years - in 1802 - the name Ekaterinoslav was returned to the city. For 123 years (until 1925), Ekaterinoslav was the center of the Ekaterinoslav province, and not of Novorossiysk.
Ekaterinoslav province, 1802-1925
History is the truth, which becomes a lie in the mouth of a politician - Jean Cocteau
- For more than two centuries (since 1802) there were no Novorossiysk provinces or regions in the Russian Empire, USSR, Ukraine, and Russia.
- Since 1874, in the Russian Empire, USSR, Ukraine, Russia there have been no administrative units with the term “Novorossiya” in their name.
Putin: These are Kharkov, Lugansk, Donetsk, Nikolaev, Kherson, Odessa region.
Facts: Kharkov has never been part of any administrative-territorial unit called Novorossiya.
The population on the territory of modern Kharkov has lived continuously since 1630, when Ukrainian Cossacks from the Dnieper region settled there. The historical Ukrainian region, in the center of which Kharkov is located, is called Slobozhanshchyna.
- In the Russian Empire, Kharkov was the provincial center of the Sloboda province 1765-1780, the Sloboda-Ukrainian province 1796-1835, then the Kharkov province.
- Neither in the Russian Empire, nor in the USSR until 1932 there was an administrative entity called the Odessa region. 1921-22 - Odessa and its surrounding territories were part of the Kherson province.
Unscrupulous politicians liken History to a nail on which you can hang anything. - Alexandr Duma
Putin: These lands were transferred from Russia to Ukraine during the creation of the Soviet Union.
Facts: Not true. The creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics took place on December 30, 1922. During its creation, as well as in 1921-22, no territories were transferred from Russia to Ukraine.
The formation of the modern Russian-Ukrainian border took place somewhat differently.
On November 7, 1917, with its Third Universal, the Ukrainian Central Rada proclaimed the formation of the Ukrainian People's Republic (UNP) within the borders of nine provinces of the Russian Empire with a predominant Ukrainian population
The territory of the People's Ukrainian Republic includes lands inhabited primarily by Ukrainians: Kiev region, Podolia, Volyn, Chernihiv region, Poltava region, Kharkov region, Ekaterinoslav region, Kherson region, Tavria (without Crimea).
The final determination of the borders of the Ukrainian People's Republic, regarding the annexation of parts of the Kursk region, Kholm region, Voronezh region and adjacent provinces and regions where the majority of the population is Ukrainian, was established with the consent of the organized will of the peoples.
Ukraine in 1919 
The history of Russia is a struggle between ignorance and injustice. — Mikhail Zhvanetsky
According to the agreement from 12.o6. 1918 The RSFSR recognized the Ukrainian State within its borders.
According to the agreement of March 10, 1919, the UPR transferred to the RSFSR:
a) the Crimean part of the Tauride province (Crimean peninsula);
b) the entire Surazhsky, Starodubsky, Mglinsky districts and most of the Novozybkovsky district of the Chernigov province.
On April 16, 192, by an agreed resolution of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR and the All-Russian Central Executive Committee “On the formation of the Donetsk province,” the RSFSR transferred to Ukraine some territories of the Don Army Region:
a) the villages of Gundorovskaya, Kamenskaya, Kalitvinskaya, Ust-Belokalitvenskaya, Karshovo-Obrivskaya volost, Donetsk district;
b) the villages of Vladimirskaya and Aleksandrovskaya, Cherkassy district;
c) the city of Taganrog with the Taganrog district.
In August 192o, the RSFSR transferred the village of Lugansk to the Ukrainian SSR.
- On December 28, 1920, an agreement was concluded between the RSFSR and the Ukrainian SSR on cooperation in military and economic activities, which did not affect border issues.
- On December 30, 1922, the Treaty on the Formation of the USSR was concluded, which also did not affect border issues.
On September 16, 1925, the Presidium of the Presidium of the CEC of the SSCR “OB of the settlement of the borders of the Ukrainian Socialist Sovetest Republic with the Russian Socialist Federative Republic and the Belarusian Socialist Sovetest Republic” was a mutual exchange of Terorritory of the UTCR and the RSFCR
Ukraine transferred to the RSFSR
a) the city of Taganrog, Fedorovsky, Nikolaevsky, Matveevo-Kurgansky, Sovetinsky, Golodayevsky districts and the eastern part of the Ekaterinovsky district of the Taganrog district;
b) the city of Shakhty, Glubokinsky, Leninsky, Kamensky, Ust-Belokalitvensky, Vladimirsky, Sulinsky, Shakhty districts and parts of the territory of the Sorokinsky and Alekseevsky districts of the Shakhty district.
RSFSR transferred to Ukraine
a) Semenovskaya volost of Novozybkovsky district, Gomel province;
b) the village of Znob, Trubchevsky volost, Pochepsky district, Bryansk province;
c) the villages of the Khinelskaya volost of the Sevsky district of the Bryansk province: Fatevizh, Baranovka, Demyanovka, Muraveinya, Tolstodubovo (Lemeshkovskaya volost) and Seltso-Nikitskoye, Setnoye, the village of Grudskaya (Podyvodskaya volost);
d) the entire Putivl district (with the city of Putivl), with the exception of the Krupetsk volost;
e) Krinichevskaya volost of Sudzhansky district of Kursk province;
f) the southern part of the Grayvoron volost of the Grayvoron district of the Kursk province;
g) the southern part of the Murom volost of the Belgorod district of the Kursk province;
h) Troitskaya volost and part of the Urazovskaya volost of the Valuy district of the Voronezh province.
October 16, 1928 By resolution of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, an exchange of territories was carried out between the Ukrainian SSR and the RSFSR.
The Ukrainian SSR transferred to the RSFSR
the village of Znob in the Trubchevsky volost of the Pochepsky district and the village of Grudskaya (Podyvodskaya volost) in the Sevsky district of the Bryansk province.
The RSFSR transferred to the Ukrainian SSR
a) the villages of Rashkovichi and Smokarevka, Khinelsky volost, Sevsky district, Bryansk province;
b) the villages of Staritsa, Prilipki and Ogurtsovo, Murom volost, Belgorod district, Kursk province;
c) the villages of Velikaya Rybitsa, Miropolye, Studenki, Zapselye, Pesnyaki, Alexandria, Vasilyevka and Novaya Derevnya, Miropol volost, Grayvoronsky district, Kursk province.
Ukraine in 1928 
The Russian people have the history they have enough imagination for. — Maxim Zvonarev
- On April 26, 1954, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR transferred the Crimean region to the Ukrainian SSR.
- December 8, 1991 By the Agreement on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Russia and Ukraine recognized each other’s territorial integrity and the inviolability of the borders existing between them.
- On January 14, 1994, by the Budapest Memorandum, Russia pledged to respect the independence, sovereignty and existing borders of Ukraine.
Russia reaffirmed its commitment to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine. She also committed herself that no weapons would be used against Ukraine, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
On May 30, 1997, by the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership, the Russian Federation under the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe pledged to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine and confirmed the inviolability of the existing borders between Russia and Ukraine.
Putin: The communists had a simple formulation in order to raise the percentage of the proletariat in Ukraine.
Facts: Ukraine included provinces with a predominant Ukrainian population, regardless of their social composition.
Ukrainian provinces in 1914 and the modern border of Ukraine. 
Science History is a collection of facts that should not have existed. — Stanislav Lec
Distribution of the population by native language of Ukrainian provinces according to the 1897 census.
| Provinces | Population by language, thousand people: | As a percentage of the total population: | ||||
| Total | Great Russian | Little Russian | Great Russian | Little Russian | ||
| 1 | Poltavskaya | 2778 | 73 | 2583 | 2,6 | 93,0 |
| 2 | Podolskaya | 3018 | 99 | 2443 | 3,3 | 80,9 |
| 3 | Volynskaya | 2989 | 105 | 2096 | 3,5 | 70,1 |
| 4 | Kyiv | 3559 | 209 | 2819 | 5,9 | 79,2 |
| 5 | Ekaterinoslavskaya | 2114 | 365 | 1456 | 17,3 | 68,9 |
| 6 | Kharkovskaya | 2492 | 441 | 2009 | 17,7 | 80,6 |
| 7 | Kherson | 2734 | 575 | 1462 | 21,0 | 53,5 |
| 8 | Chernigovskaya | 2298 | 496 | 1526 | 21,6 | 66,4 |
| 9 | Tauride | 1448 | 404 | 611 | 27,9 | 42,2 |
| incl. Northern Tavria (without Crimea) | 901 | 223 | 546 | 24,8 | 60,7 | |
| Total 9 provinces | 23430 | 2768 | 17006 | 11,8 | 72,6 | |
| Total 9 provinces without Crimea | 22530 | 2545 | 16459 | 11,3 | 73,1 | |
Putin: This was done then in violation of even Soviet law, I’ll tell you what this violation was. According to the regulations in force at that time, according to the laws of the Soviet Union, in order to transfer one territory of a union republic to another union republic, a decision was needed from the Supreme Council of one and the second subject, that is, one republic and the second. This was not done, but what was done? They were stamped with the corresponding decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR and Ukraine, but not of the parliament itself, but only of the Presidium. This was a gross, obvious violation of the norms in force at that time.
Facts: These statements are not true. The Constitution of the USSR of 1936 (including the version in force at that time dated August 8, 1953), the constitutions of the RSFSR and the Ukrainian SSR of 1937 did not require decisions by the Supreme Councils to change the borders between the union republics.
Article 16 of the Constitution of the RSFSR and Article 15 of the Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR established that the territories of the republics could not be changed without their consent. Both constitutions did not indicate which body has the authority to act on behalf of the RSFSR and the Ukrainian SSR, respectively.
An indirect indication of the powers regarding the determination of borders is contained in Article 19 of the Constitution of the RSFSR (a text similar in content is contained in Article 19 of the Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR). In it, the jurisdiction of the republics, represented by its highest authorities and government bodies, includes:
c) submitting for approval to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR the formation of new territories and regions, as well as new autonomous republics and regions within the RSFSR;
d) approval of the borders and regional division of the autonomous Soviet socialist republics and autonomous regions;
e) establishment of boundaries and regional division of territories and regions.
The republic is in charge only of issues of changing the boundaries of autonomous republics, autonomous regions, borders and regional divisions of territories and regions.
The powers to change the borders between union republics, according to the Constitution of the USSR of 1936, fall under the jurisdiction of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Article 14. The following are subject to the jurisdiction of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, represented by its supreme bodies of state power and government bodies: approval of changes in borders between the union republics.
Consequently, the authority to make decisions on changing the borders between the union republics belonged to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Supreme Council of the USSR. It was these bodies that accepted it.
The most important decision was made in the form of the USSR Law, approved by the Supreme Council of the USSR. USSR LAW on the transfer of the Crimean region from the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR
The Supreme Council of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics decides:
- To approve the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR dated February 19, 1954 on the transfer of the Crimean region from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
- Make appropriate changes to Articles 22 and 23 of the Constitution of the USSR.
Chairman of the Presidium
Supreme Council of the USSR
K. VOROSHILOV
Secretary of the Presidium
Supreme Council of the USSR
N.PEGOV
Moscow Kremlin
April 26, 1954
A similar procedure (the adoption of laws by the Supreme Council of the USSR or by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR in the presence of representations from the Presidiums of the Supreme Councils of the Union Republics and the absence of preliminary decisions of the Supreme Councils of the Union Republics) was also applied for other changes in the borders between the Union Republics:
- USSR Law of March 31, 1940 “On the transformation of the Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic into the Union Karelian-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic.”
- Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR dated October 12, 1943 “On the liquidation of the Karachay Autonomous Region and on the administrative structure of its territory.”
- Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated April 20, 1956 “On partial changes in the border between the Kazakh SSR and the RSFSR.”
- Law of the Supreme Council of the USSR dated July 16, 1956 “On the transformation of the Karelo-Finnish SSR into the Karelian ASSR and the inclusion of the Karelian ASSR into the RSFSR.”
Putin: As for the West. Don’t you know that after the Second World War, part of the territories was cut off to Ukraine - as a result of the Second World War? Some were cut off from Poland and from Hungary. What kind of city was Lviv, if not Polish? Don’t you know about this or something?
Facts: With this comment, Putin de facto confirmed the authenticity of R. Sikorsky’s earlier statement about V. Putin’s discussion with a number of foreign leaders on the issue of ownership of parts of the territory of Ukraine to neighboring states.
- Carpathian Ruthenia, which became the Transcarpathian region of the Ukrainian SSR, in 192o-38. was part of Czechoslovakia. Its occupation and annexation in 1939-44. Hungary, an ally of fascist Germany, was not recognized either in the region itself or by the anti-Hitler coalition. Putin’s mentioning of Hungary, and not Czechoslovakia, as the former owner of part of the territory of Ukraine says a lot about the nature of the Kremlin leader’s thinking.
- The city of Lviv was founded by the Grand Duke of Galicia Daniil Romanovich in 1256 and named after his son Leo. Lviv became Polish a century later, in 1349, when it was occupied by the troops of the Polish king Casimir. During its history, Lviv was under the control of Polish, Austrian, and Russian authorities. At the time of the occupation of the city by the Red Army in the fall of 1939, the population of the city consisted mainly of Poles, Jews and Ukrainians.
Nowadays it is customary to talk about Ukraine as the largest country in Europe. This is, in general, correct. Now the area of Ukraine is almost 604 thousand km 2, while the area of France is only 547 thousand km 2, and Spain is 497. Only Russia is larger than Ukraine with its 3.7 million km 2.
However, one must understand a simple thing - Ukraine itself, in fact, did not contribute to the expansion of its territory. Let us consider some stages in the formation of the borders of modern Ukraine.
The first Ukrainian state itself can be considered the state created by Bohdan Khmelnytsky during the liberation war against Poland (Rzeczpospolita).
To be fair, it should be noted that Khmelnytsky has never been a fighter for the independence of Ukraine. His correspondence with the Polish king leaves no doubt that he fought for the legal order in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in general (we remember that his estate was subject to an attempted “raider takeover”) and for the rights of the Orthodox gentry in particular. Having not met with understanding, he received what he was looking for from the Moscow Tsar.
As of 1654, the borders of the state of Bohdan Khmelnytsky looked like this:
It is quite obvious that the hetman had no claims to the southern lands, Crimea and Donbass. This was all the area of the “Wild Field”, controlled by the Crimean Khan, who, at that time, was an ally of Khmelnitsky.
He also did not lay claim to the lands of Slobozhanshchina, which, although inhabited by refugees from Ukraine, were nevertheless under the rule of the Russian Tsar.
Galicia and Volyn were partially liberated during the war of liberation, but after the defeat at Berestechko they remained under the control of the Poles. Khmelnitsky, by the way, did not seek to liberate territories, but only Orthodox people. That is why he limited himself to indemnity from Lvov - there was, in fact, no one to liberate there, the Ukrainians (or rather, the Rusyns) lived there only on one Russkaya street, and even those, it must be understood, fled from possible reprisals from the Poles.
Well, there was no talk at all about Transcarpathia, which was part of Hungary.
Borders of Ukraine in the Russian Empire
When we talk about the times of Catherine II, they prefer to remember the defeat of the Zaporozhye Sich and the official introduction of serfdom (de facto, it existed before that). However, it is somehow naturally forgotten that it was during the Russian-Turkish wars of the 18th century that the former lands of the “Wild Field” – Novorossiya and Crimea – were settled (by the way, largely by Ukrainians). The latter was annexed to the Russian Empire in 1783.
It was then that the largest cities of the modern South of Ukraine were founded - Elisavetgrad (Kirovograd, 1775), Ekaterinoslav (Dnepropetrovsk, 1776), Kherson (1778), Nikolaev (1789), Odessa (1794).
After the death of Catherine, in 1812, Bessarabia - Moldova and Budzhak - part of the current Odessa region between the Prut and Dniester rivers was annexed to Russia.
If this is “occupation,” then the lands of the Nogai and Crimean Tatars were occupied. The Nogai horde, by the way, collapsed, and the Nogais now live in Russia and Turkey.
In addition, as a result of the second and third partitions of Poland in 1793-1795, Right Bank Ukraine and Volyn were annexed to Russia. The remaining Western Ukrainian territories (Galicia, Bukovina and Transcarpathia) remained part of Austria-Hungary.
The Russian Empress did not only what the hetmans could not do, but also what the hetmans did not even plan.
Surprisingly, today’s “patriots” do not feel any gratitude to Catherine for such a radical expansion of the borders of Ukraine. True, speaking against monuments to Catherine, they are in no hurry to return the lands that she annexed. Moreover, Southern Ukraine (not to mention Crimea), unlike the Right Bank and Volyn, was in no way a Ukrainian ethnic territory and became one precisely thanks to Russian conquests. Unless, of course, we talk about the “proto-Ukrainian Tripoli civilization,” which was located mainly on the territory of Romania and Moldova.
The period of “free zmagan”
The period after the collapse of the Russian Empire did not produce any special territorial acquisitions. No, there are many absolutely fantastic maps of the Ukrainian People's Republic, covering not only Galicia, but also Kuban.
However, in fact, the UPR was only one of the state entities created on the territory of the Ukrainian provinces of the Russian Empire. In 1917, this territory was divided between four state entities.
In 1918, this territory was united by the German occupation administration, which created the puppet state of Hetman Skoropadsky. Hetman, later, had to flee along with the German occupiers...
The revived UPR managed to unite with the Western Ukrainian People's Republic, but this unification was formal, since at that moment the WUNR did not have its own territory, but was represented by the government of Petrushevich and the Ukrainian Galician Army... Moreover, after the “unification” the WUNR continued to wage its war against the Poles , later finding it possible to cooperate with the “Muscovites” - first with the Whites, and then with the Reds.
The UPR, in fact, did not control its territory, since, in addition to itself, the quasi-state of Father Makhno, the White Guard army-state, and, ultimately, the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic, created in March 1919, were located on it. No wonder it was said that “in the carriage is the Directory, under the carriage is the territory.”
Petliura, by the way, ended up collaborating with the Poles, finally abandoning both the “evil” with the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic and the territory of Western Ukraine.
Ultimately, in 1920-1922, most of the Ukrainian lands (including Transnistria) were united within the Ukrainian SSR, which, in turn, became part of the USSR. Part of the Ukrainian lands remained under Polish and Romanian occupation.
Since 1939, a new stage in the unification of Ukrainian lands began.
In September 1939, the USSR liberated the territories of Western Ukraine, previously captured by Poland. Now the Soviet Union is being criticized for its “aggression” against Poland, its “collaboration” with Hitler is being condemned, and the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact is being condemned, but for some reason they are not proposing to draw legal conclusions from this. The legal conclusions should be to return the territory of Galicia, Volyn and part of Podolia to Poland, which “innocently suffered from Soviet aggression”. It’s strange - we condemn the annexation of Galicia to Ukraine, but we are in no hurry to give it back.
Even more surprising is this... The same people who condemn the “Soviet occupation” of Western Ukraine also condemn the Polish occupation of the same territories in 1918. However, they are at least tolerant of their re-occupation by the Poles in 1920...
In 1940, the USSR presented an ultimatum to Romania, demanding the return of the lands occupied in 1918. Romania ceded the territories of Northern Bukovina and Bessarabia.
A separate story took place in Transcarpathia, which, after the collapse of Czechoslovakia, declared its independence in the status of Carpathian Ukraine (without, of course, seeking to join Soviet Ukraine - there was no other one at that time). It existed for only a few days, being occupied by Hungary.
In 1945, Transcarpathia was liberated from the German-Hungarian occupiers, returned to Czechoslovakia, and then transferred to the USSR.
Let us note that we are talking about a region that historically was part of Hungary for several centuries and even now does not territorially associate itself with Ukraine (a common expression for Transcarpathians is “to go to Ukraine,” for example, to Lviv).
And finally, in 1954, Crimea was transferred from the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR. The official reason is “given the commonality of the economy, territorial proximity and close economic and cultural ties between the Crimean region and the Ukrainian SSR.” Along with Crimea, Sevastopol also became part of Ukraine, although the legal basis for the transfer of the city to republican subordination was not obvious. However, until the first half of the 90s, the question of the city’s status was not raised, and was later resolved in favor of Ukraine.
However, the process also went in other directions. In 1940, Transnistria (Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic) was transferred to Moldova. In 1945, part of the territory of Western Ukraine, including the cities of Przemysl and Kholm, went to Poland. When clarifying the administrative boundaries within the USSR, some areas were transferred to Russia, and some, on the contrary, to Ukraine.
Ukraine's borders to independence
However, in the name of Euro-Atlantic integration, Viktor Yushchenko sacrificed part of the continental shelf in favor of Romania. Although there was every reason not to give up the shelf with energy deposits. To do this, it was enough not to recognize the territory as disputed...
conclusions
Historically, the territory of Ukraine is represented by approximately 8 regions of central Ukraine.
No Ukrainian government could annex or hold Western Ukraine (including Transcarpathia) - there was not enough strength. Even when separate Ukrainian states were created on this territory, they could not maintain control over the territory. This turned out to be within the capabilities of Tsarist Russia and the Stalinist USSR.
The south of Ukraine, Donbass and Crimea were annexed by the Russian Empire and transferred to Ukraine by the USSR. Actually, the territory of the “largest state in Europe” was formed by Catherine II and Stalin, and it received relative independence, which generally allowed us to talk about some kind of “borders of Ukraine,” from the hands of Lenin.
So people talking about the “Russian” and “Soviet” occupation should be prepared to revise the borders of Ukraine - in favor of other victims of the “Russian” and “Soviet” “occupation”. For, so to speak, our and your freedom... Or, nevertheless, “Freedom”?
In exchange for Crimea, Ukraine gave Russia its own territories.
Historical reality
In 1954, Ukraine did not give any territories to Russia in exchange for Crimea. All exchanges took place earlier, and a number of Ukrainian ethnic lands were initially part of the RSFSR.
In Russian-Ukrainian discussions about historical rights to Crimea, the Ukrainian side often resorts to the argument that the peninsula was not transferred “just like that,” but in exchange for certain territories of the Ukrainian SSR. In particular, it is argued that these were “equal in area” territories of Northern Slobozhanshchina, Taganrozhye, or even Kuban and Stavropol.
In fact, there was no exchange between the republics in 1954. The Ukrainian SSR received the Crimean region, but in return did not transfer any territories to the Russian SFSR. With the exception of Crimea, The Ukrainian-Russian Soviet administrative border was finally formed in 1928. That is, the last exchange of territories between the Ukrainian SSR and the RSFSR took place 26 years before the transfer of Crimea (see:).
So called “territories given in exchange for Crimea”, which Ukrainian commentators often erroneously recall, can be divided into two categories.
Firstly, these are territories that are actually belonged to Soviet Ukraine, but were transferred to Russia back in 1919-1928:, Starodubshchina (northern districts of Chernigov province), Taganrozhye, Eastern Donbass. For more information about territory exchanges during this period, see
Secondly, these are Ukrainian ethnic areas within the RSFSR, which were never part of Soviet Ukraine: Kuban, Stavropol, most of the Northern Slobozhanshchina, and the like. Since these territories were not part of the Ukrainian SSR, Ukraine could not “transfer” or “exchange” them.
They could not be transferred or exchanged, but during the 1920s the Ukrainian Soviet leadership consistently, although unsuccessfully, insisted on the inclusion of some territories with a Ukrainian ethnic majority in the Ukrainian SSR.
In my time it was the ethnographic criterion that was used as the basis for the formation of the UPR, and then the Ukrainian SSR. When considering the border issue in 1924, the Russian-Ukrainian commission agreed to base its decisions on “a national-ethnographic moment, adjusted in some cases on the basis of economic gravity where the latter is clearly expressed, and to the sign of straightening administrative boundaries in relation to the smallest administrative units / district, parish, settlement /”.
Ukrainian population of the European part of the RSFSR according to. (From the Atlas of Ukraine. Similar diaspora. - K., MAPA, 1993.)
Although even the Comintern supported the ethnographic criterion in its resolution of December 24, 1924, the Kremlin actually ignored it: by the decision of the Presidium of the USSR Central Executive Committee of October 16, 1925, Ukraine transferred Eastern Donbass and Taganrozhye to Russia, but in return received only minor territories, instead of the expected Northern Slobozhanshchina (parts of Kursk and Voronezh provinces). Then and later, the union center rejected all requests for the transfer of Ukrainian ethnic territories to the Ukrainian SSR.
But under the influence of these petitions and as a result of direct pressure from the Ukrainian side, in areas of the RSFSR predominantly populated by Ukrainians, the official attitude towards the national and cultural needs of Ukrainians improved. In a number of regions, the policy initiated by the 12th Congress of the RCP(b) began to be actually implemented “indigenization,” which in relation to Ukrainians took on the form of “Ukrainization.”
Such assistance was put to an end by the resolutions of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of December 14 and 15, 1932, according to which “Ukrainization” outside the Ukrainian SSR was declared “Petliurist” and was immediately curtailed.
Now there are many disputes about the borders of the state of Ukraine and the legitimacy of certain territories belonging to it. How were the historical borders of the Ukrainian state actually formed?
Ukraine within generally recognized state borders. 2017
Let's say right away that territorial integrity of the state of Ukraine within the existing borders is confirmed by a number of existing international treaties and agreements, in particular:
In addition, according to the current international the territory of the Crimean peninsula, including the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, is part of Ukraine.
Ukraine on the map of the Russian Empire on the eve of the October Revolution of 1917
* The white line marks the modern state border of Ukraine.
The formation of the modern state border of Ukraine has begun November 7, 1917.
On this day, the Ukrainian Central Rada III Universal announced the formation Ukrainian People's Republic (UNR) within the boundaries of nine provinces of the Russian Empire with a predominant Ukrainian population:
“The territory of the People’s Ukrainian Republic includes lands populated predominantly by Ukrainians: Kiev region, Podolia, Volyn, Chernihiv region, Poltava region, Kharkov region, Ekaterinoslav region, Kherson region, Tavria (without Crimea). The final determination of the borders of the Ukrainian People's Republic, regarding the annexation of parts of the Kursk region, Kholm region, Voronezh region and adjacent provinces and regions where the majority of the population is Ukrainian, must be established with the consent of the organized will of the peoples.”
According to the agreement of June 12, 1918, Russia (RSFSR) recognized the Ukrainian State within its borders.
Borders of Ukraine before World War II
Since the beginning of 1919, territorial changes in the borders of Ukraine took place as a result of a series of agreements with the RSFSR.
- the Crimean part of the Tauride province (Crimean peninsula);
- completely Surazhsky, Starodubsky, Mglinsky districts and most of the Novozybkovsky district of the Chernigov province.
On April 16, 1920, by an agreed resolution of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, the Council of People's Commissars (SNK) of the RSFSR and the All-Russian Central Executive Committee “On the formation of the Donetsk province” The RSFSR transferred to Ukraine some territories of the Don Army Region:
- the villages of Gundorovskaya, Kamenskaya, Kalitvinskaya, Ust-Belokalitvenskaya, the volost of Karshovo-Obrivskaya, Donetsk district;
- villages of Vladimirskaya, Aleksandrovskaya, Cherkassy district;
- the city of Taganrog with the Taganrog district.
In August 1920 The RSFSR transferred the village of Lugansk to the Ukrainian SSR.
December 28, 1920 An agreement on cooperation in military and economic activities was concluded between the RSFSR and the Ukrainian SSR, which did not address border issues.
On December 30, 1922 it was concluded Treaty on the formation of the USSR, also did not address issues of borders between its member republics.
October 16, 1925 by the Resolution of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR “On the settlement of the borders of the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic with the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and the Belarusian Socialist Soviet Republic” a mutual exchange of territories was carried out between the Ukrainian SSR and the RSFSR.
According to this Resolution, Ukraine transferred to the RSFSR:
- the city of Taganrog, Fedorovsky, Nikolaevsky, Matveevo-Kurgansky, Sovetinsky, Golodayevsky districts and the eastern part of the Ekaterinovsky district of the Taganrog district;
- the city of Shakhty, Glubokinsky, Leninsky, Kamensky, Ust-Belokalitvensky, Vladimirsky, Sulinsky, Shakhty districts and parts of the territory of the Sorokinsky and Alekseevsky districts of the Shakhty district.
In its turn, The RSFSR transferred to Ukraine:
- Semenovskaya volost of Novozybkovsky district of Gomel province;
- the village of Znob, Trubchevsky volost, Pochepsky district, Bryansk province;
- villages of the Khinelskaya volost of the Sevsky district of the Bryansk province: Fatevizh, Baranovka, Demyanovka, Muraveinya, Tolstodubovo (Lemeshkovskaya volost) and Seltso-Nikitskoye, Setnoye, the village of Grudskaya (Podyvodskaya volost);
- the entire Putivl district (with the city of Putivl), with the exception of the Krupetsk volost;
- Krinichevskaya volost of Sudzhansky district of Kursk province;
- the southern part of the Grayvoron volost of the Grayvoron district of the Kursk province;
- the southern part of the Murom volost of the Belgorod district of the Kursk province;
- Troitskaya volost and part of the Urazovskaya volost of the Valuysky district of the Voronezh province.
On October 16, 1928, the resolution of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR was an exchange of territories was carried out between the Ukrainian SSR and the RSFSR.
The Ukrainian SSR transferred to the RSFSR:
- the village of Znob, Trubchevsky volost, Pochepsky district, and the village of Grudskaya (Podyvodskaya volost), Sevsky district, Bryansk province.
The RSFSR transferred to the Ukrainian SSR:
- the villages of Rashkovichi and Smokarevka, Khinelsky volost, Sevsky district, Bryansk province;
- the villages of Staritsa, Prilipki and Ogurtsovo, Murom volost, Belgorod district, Kursk province;
- the villages of Velikaya Rybitsa, Miropolye, Studenki, Zapselye, Pesnyaki, Alexandria, Vasilievka and Novaya Derevnya, Miropol volost, Grayvoronsky district, Kursk province.
Ukraine before World War II (1939):
Borders of Ukraine during the Second World War (1939-1945)
As a result of the redivision of the map of Europe during the Second World War, Ukraine has grown significantly in the west at the expense of lands transferred to the Soviet Union from Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Romania.
In 1939-1945, it included the lands that made up Volyn, Drohobych (which later became part of Lviv), Stanislav (renamed Ivano-Frankivsk), Transcarpathian, Lviv, Rivne, Ternopil and Chernivtsi regions of the country.
Ukrainian SSR after the annexation of Western Ukraine, Northern Bukovina and Bessarabia. 1940:
Borders of Ukraine after World War II
In 1951, according to the interstate “Agreement between the Polish Republic and the USSR on the exchange of sections of state territories” the Ukrainian-Polish border was aligned.
To the Lviv region of Ukraine lands were annexed in the area of the Western Bug River and its left tributary Solokiya, in return in favor of Poland the border was leveled in the southwestern part of the Lviv region (Drohobych district).
April 26, 1954 The Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted the law “On the transfer of the Crimean region from the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR”, which approved the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of February 19, 1954 on the transfer of the Crimean region from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
This act was previously agreed upon with the Supreme Council of the RSFSR and the Councils of Ministers of the RSFSR and the USSR.
On December 8, 1991, with the Agreement on the Creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Russia and Ukraine recognized each other's territorial integrity and the inviolability of the borders existing between them.
January 14, 1994, according to the Budapest Memorandum, Russia has pledged to respect the independence, sovereignty and existing borders of Ukraine, and also reaffirmed its commitment to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. It has also committed itself that none of its weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defense or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
May 30, 1997 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership Russian Federation in accordance with the provisions of the UN Charter and obligations under the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, it pledged to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine and confirmed the inviolability of the borders existing between Russia and Ukraine.
