Overview[]
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1917-1922) was a communist one-party state in Europe and Asia. The Russian SFSR was by far the largest SSR and richest SSR out of all the SSR's. It is the political descendent of Bolshevik Russia. It had an official United Nations seat and was home to the Soviet Union's capital, Moscow.
History[]
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian SFSR or RSFSR; Russian: Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, tr. Rossiyskaya Sovetskaya Federativnaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika), also unofficially known as the Russian Federation, Red Russia, Soviet Russia or Russia (/ˈrʌʃə/ (About this sound listen); Russian: Росси́я, tr. Rossija; IPA: [rɐˈsʲijə]; from the Greek: Ρωσία — Rus'), was an independent state from 1917 to 1922, and afterwards the largest, most populous, and most economically developed union republic of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1991 and then a sovereign part of the Soviet Union with priority of Russian laws over Union-level legislation in 1990–91. The Republic comprised sixteen autonomous republics, five autonomous oblasts, ten autonomous okrugs, six krais, and forty oblasts. Russians formed the largest ethnic group. The capital of the Russian SFSR was Moscow and the other major urban centers included Leningrad, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Samara.
The Battle of Prokhorovka was fought on 12 July 1943, and The Battle of Kursk of 5 July 1943 – 23 August 1943 occurred on it's territory in WW2.
Autonomous Republics within the Russian SFSR[]
- Turkestan ASSR – Formed on April 30, 1918, on the territory of the former Turkestan General-Governorate. As part of the delimitation programme of Soviet Central Asia, the Turkestan ASSR along with the Khorezm SSR and the Bukharan PSR were disbanded on October 27, 1924, and in their place came the Union republics of Turkmen SSR and Uzbek SSR. The latter contained the Tajik ASSR until December 1929 when it too became a full Union republic, the Tajik SSR. The RSFSR retained the newly formed Kara-Kirghiz and the Kara-Kalpak Autonomous Oblasts. The latter was part of the Kirgiz, then the Kazak ASSR until 1930, when it was directly subordinated to Moscow.
- Bashkir ASSR – Formed on March 23, 1919 from several northern districts of the Orenburg Guberniya populated by Bashkirs. On October 11, 1990, it declared its sovereignty, as the Bashkir SSR, which was renamed in 1992 the Republic of Bashkortostan.
- Tatar ASSR – Formed on May 27, 1920 on the territory of the western two-thirds of the Kazan Governorate populated by Tatars. On October 30, 1990, declared sovereignty as the Republic of Tatarstan and on October 18, 1991 it declared its independence. The Russian constitutional court overturned the declaration on March 13, 1992. In February 1994, a separate agreement was reached with Moscow on the status of Tatarstan as an associate state in Russia with confederate status.
- Kirgiz ASSR Formed on August 26, 1920, from the Ural, Turgay, Semipalatinsk Oblasts, and parts of Transcaspia, Bukey Horde and Orenburg Guberniya populated by Kirgiz-Kaysaks (former name of Kazakh people). Further enlarged in 1921 upon gaining land from Omsk Guberniya and again in 1924 from parts of Jetysui Guberniya and Syr Darya and Samarkand Oblasts. On 19 April 1925 renamed as the Kazak ASSR (see below)
- Mountain ASSR Formed on January 20, 1921, after the Bolshevik Red Army evicted the short-lived Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus. Initially composed of several national districts; one-by-one these left the republic until November 7, 1924, when the remains of the republic was partitioned into the Ingush Autonomous Oblast, the North Ossetian Autonomous Oblast and the Sunzha Cossack district (all subordinates to the North Caucasus Krai).
- Dagestan ASSR – Formed on January 20, 1921, from the former Dagestan Oblast. On September 17 1991, it declared sovereignty as the Dagestan SSR.
- Crimean ASSR Formed on October 18, 1921, on the territory of Crimean peninsula, following the Red Army's eviction of Baron Wrangel's army, ending the Russian Civil War in Europe. On May 18, 1944, it was reduced to the status of Oblast, alongside the deportation of the Crimean Tatars, as collective punishment for alleged collaboration with the Nazi occupation regime in Taurida Subdistrict. On February 19, 1954, it was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR. Re-established on February 12 1991, it declared sovereignty on September 4 of that year. On May 5 1992, it declared independence as the Republic of Crimea, on May 13; the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine overturned the declaration, but compromised on an Autonomous Republic of Crimea within Ukraine. After the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, an internationally disputed referendum and Russian military intervention, Crimea was annexed by Russia in March 2014.
- Yakut ASSR – Formed on February 16 1922 upon the elevation of the Yakut Autonomous Oblast into an ASSR. On September 27, 1990, it declared sovereignty as the Yakut-Sakha Soviet Socialist Republic. From December 21, 1991, it has been known as the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
- Buryat ASSR – Formed on March 30, 1923 as due to the merger of the Mongol-Buryat Autonomous Oblast of the RSFSR and the Buryat-Mongol Autonomous Oblast of the Far Eastern Republic. Until 7 July 1958 – Mongol-Buryat ASSR. On March 27, 1991 it became the Republic of Buryatia.
- Karelian ASSR – Formed on July 23, 1923 when the Karelian Labour Commune was integrated into the RSFSR's administrative structure. On March 31, 1940, it was elevated into a full Union republic as the Karelo-Finnish SSR. On July 16, 1956, it was downgraded in status to that of an ASSR and re-subordinated to RSFSR. It declared sovereignty on October 13 1991 as the Republic of Karelia.
- Volga German ASSR – Formed on December 19, 1924, upon elevation of the Volga German Autonomous Oblast into an ASSR. On August 28, 1941, upon the deportation of Volga Germans to Central Asia, the ASSR was disbanded. The territory was partitioned between the Saratov and Stalingrad Oblasts.
- Kazak ASSR was formed on April 19, 1925, when the first Kirgiz ASSR was renamed and partitioned. Upon the ratification of the new Soviet constitution, the ASSR was elevated into a full Union Republic on December 3, 1936. On October 25, 1990, it declared sovereignty and on December 16, 1991 its independence as the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- Chuvash ASSR – Formed on April 21, 1925 upon the elevation of the Chuvash Autonomous Oblast into an ASSR. It declared sovereignty on October 26 1990 as the Chuvash SSR.
- Kirghiz ASSR was formed on February 1, 1926 upon elevation of the Kirghiz Autonomous Oblast. Upon the ratification of the new Soviet constitution, the ASSR was elevated into a full Union Republic on December 3, 1936. On December 12, 1990, it declared sovereignty as the Republic of Kyrgyzstan and on August 31, 1991 its independence.
- Kara-Kalpak ASSR – Formed on March 20, 1932 upon elevation of the Kara-Kalpak Autonomous Oblast into the Kara-Kalpak ASSR; from December 5 1936 a part of the Uzbek SSR. In 1964, it was renamed the Karakalpak ASSR. It declared sovereignty on December 14, 1990.
- Mordovian ASSR – Formed on December 20, 1934 upon the elevation of Mordovian Autonomous Oblast into an ASSR. It declared sovereignty on December 13, 1990 as the Mordovian SSR. Since January 25, 1991 it has been known as the Republic of Mordovia.
- Udmurt ASSR was formed on December 28, 1934 upon the elevation of Udmurt Autonomous Oblast into an ASSR. It declared sovereignty on September 20, 1990. Since October 11, 1991 it has been known as the Udmurt Republic.
- Kalmyk ASSR was formed on October 20 1935 upon the elevation of Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast into an ASSR. On December 27, 1943, upon the deportation of the Kalmyks, the ASSR was disbanded and split between the newly established Astrakhan Oblast and parts adjoined to Rostov Oblast, Krasnodar Krai, and Stavropol Krai. On January 9, 1957, Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast was re-established in its present borders, first as a part of Stavropol Krai and from July 19, 1958 as a part of the Kalmyk ASSR. On October 18, 1990, it declared sovereignty as the Kalmyk SSR.
- Kabardino-Balkar ASSR – Formed on 5 December 1936, upon the departure of the Kabardino-Balkar Autonomous Oblast from the North Caucasus Krai. After the deportation of the Balkars on 8 April 1944, the republic is renamed as Kabardin ASSR and parts of its territory transferred to Georgian SSR, upon the return of the Balkars, the KBASSR is re-instated on 9 January 1957. On 31 January 1991, the republic declared sovereignty as the Kabardino-Balkar SSR, and from 10 March 1992 – Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.
- Northern Ossetian ASSR – Formed on 5 December 1936, upon the disbandment of the North Caucasus Krai, and its constituent North Ossetian Autonomous Oblast was raised into an ASSR. Declared sovereignty on 26 December 1990 as the North Ossetian SSR.
- Chechen-Ingush ASSR – Formed on 5 December 1936, when the North Caucasus Krai was disestablished and its constituent Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Oblast was elevated into an ASSR and subordinated to Moscow. Following the en masse deportation of the Chechens and Ingush, on 7 March 1944, the ChIASSR was disbanded, and the Grozny Okrug was temporarily administered by Stavropol Krai until the 22 March, when the territory was portioned between North Ossetian and Dagestan ASSRs, and the Georgian SSR. The remaining land was merged with Stavropol Krai's Kizlyar district and organised as Grozny Oblast, which existed until 9 January 1957 when the ChIASSR was re-established though only the southern border's original shape was retained. Declared sovereignty on 27 November 1990 as the Chechen-Ingush Republic. On 8 June 1991, the 2nd Chechen National Congress proclaimed a separate Chechen-Republic (Noxchi-Cho), and on September 6, began a coup which overthrew the Soviet local government. De facto, all authority passed to the self-proclaimed government which was renamed as the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in early 1993. In response, the western Ingush districts after a referendum on 28 November 1991, were organised into an Ingush Republic which was officially established on 4 June 1992, by decree of Russian President as the Republic of Ingushetia. The same decree de jure created a Chechen republic, although it would be established only on 3 June 1994 and carry out partial governance during the First Chechen War. The Khasavyurt Accord would again suspend the government on 15 November 1996. The present Chechen Republic government was re-established on 15 October 1999.
- Komi ASSR – Formed on 5 December 1936 upon the elevation of the Komi (Zyryan) Autonomous Oblast into an ASSR. Declared sovereignty on 23 November 1990 as the Komi SSR. From 26 May 1992 – the Republic of Komi.
- Mari ASSR – Formed on 5 December 1936 upon the elevation of the Mari Autonomous Oblast into an ASSR. Declared Sovereignty on 22 December 1990 as the Mari Soviet Socialist Republic (Mari El).
- Tuva ASSR – Formed on 10 October 1961 when the Tuva Autonomous Oblast was elevated into an ASSR. On December 12, 1990 declared sovereignty as the Soviet Republic of Tyva.
- Gorno-Altai ASSR was formed on October 25, 1990, when Gorno-Altai Autonomous Oblast declared sovereignty; since July 3, 1991 it has been known as the Gorno-Altai SSR.
- Karachayevo-Cherkessian ASSR was formed on November 17, 1990, when Karachay-Cherkess Autonomous Oblast was elevated into an ASSR and, instead of Stavropol Krai, subordinated directly to the RSFSR. It declared sovereignty on July 3, 1991 as the Karachay-Cherkess SSR.
Russian Polities[]
- Russian Federation (From 1991)
- Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1936-1991)
- File:Flag of the USSR 1936.svg Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922-1936)
- File:Flag of Russia 1918.svg Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1917-1922)
- Russian Republic (1917)
- Russian Empire: Provisional Government (1917)
- Russian Empire (1721-1917)
Neighbouring Nations[]
- Flag Azerbaijan
- Flag Belarus
- Flag China
- Flag Estonia
- Finland
- Flag Georgia
- Flag Kazakhstan
- Flag Korea (North)
- Flag Latvia
- Flag Lithuania
- Flag Mongolia
- Norway
- Poland
- Flag Ukraine
References[]
- Country Studies: Russia (Library of Congress)
- World Statesmen.org
- Wikipedia
- Great Soviet Encyclopedia (Большая советская энциклопедия)
- Справочник по истории Коммунистической партии и Советского Союза