'Khrushchev Drunkenly Gave Away Crimea': What Actually Happened in 1954

The Myth

“After a shot of vodka, Khrushchev up and gave Crimea to Ukraine. It was his personal whim with no legal force. Therefore, Russia has the right to ‘take back’ Crimea.”

The Facts

Who Made the Decision

February 19, 1954 — the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a Decree on the transfer of the Crimean Oblast from the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR.

Khrushchev at the time was First Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee — a party position, not a state one. The Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (the formal head of state) was Kliment Voroshilov. The decision was made collectively, not unilaterally.

Why It Was Transferred

The state of Crimea after World War II and the deportation of the Crimean Tatars (1944) was catastrophic:

• The population had sharply declined (200,000 Tatars were deported)
• The economy was devastated
• Agriculture had collapsed
• Infrastructure had deteriorated
• Water supply depended on mainland Ukraine (the North Crimean Canal)

The transfer of Crimea to the Ukrainian SSR had a practical purpose: to integrate Crimea’s economy and infrastructure with Ukraine, which was already providing the peninsula with water and electricity.

Legal Formalization

The transfer was executed in accordance with existing Soviet law:

1. Decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (February 5, 1954)
2. Decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR (February 13, 1954)
3. Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (February 19, 1954)
4. Ratification by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (April 26, 1954)

Russia Recognized It for 60 Years

• 1991: Russia recognized Ukraine’s borders (including Crimea) during the dissolution of the USSR
• 1994: Budapest Memorandum — Russia guaranteed Ukraine’s territorial integrity
• 1997: Treaty of Friendship — Russia recognized Ukraine’s borders, including Crimea
• 2003: Border Treaty — confirmation

For 60 years, Russia recognized Crimea as part of Ukraine and never once legally challenged it.

Conclusion

The “drunken gift” is a propaganda fairy tale. The transfer of Crimea was an official decision of the highest governing body of the USSR, had economic rationale, and was recognized by Russia itself for 60 years in dozens of international treaties.