TASS-DOSSIER / Kirill Titov /. Formed in 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was created by the leadership of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) as the basis for the future world revolution. The declaration on its formation stated that the Union would become "a decisive step towards uniting the working people of all countries into the World Socialist Soviet Republic."

To attract as many socialist republics as possible to the USSR, in the first Soviet constitution (and all subsequent ones), each of them was assigned the right to freely secede from the Soviet Union. In particular, in the last Basic Law of the USSR - the Constitution of 1977 - this norm was enshrined in Article 72. Since 1956, 15 union republics were part of the Soviet state.

Causes of the collapse of the USSR

From a legal point of view, the USSR was an asymmetric federation (its subjects had a different status) with elements of a confederation. At the same time, the union republics were in an unequal position. In particular, the RSFSR did not have its own Communist Party, Academy of Sciences; the republic was also the main donor of financial, material and human resources for the rest of the Union.

Unity of the Soviet state system provided by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). It was built on a rigid hierarchical principle and duplicated all state bodies of the Union. In Article 6 of the Basic Law of the USSR of 1977, the Communist Party was assigned the status of "the leading and guiding force of Soviet society, the core of its political system, state and public organizations ".

By the 1980s. The USSR found itself in a state of systemic crisis. A significant part of the population lost faith in the dogmas of the officially declared communist ideology. The economic and technological lag of the USSR from the Western states was manifested. As a result of the national policy of the Soviet government, independent national elites were formed in the union and autonomous republics of the USSR.

An attempt to reform the political system during perestroika 1985-1991. led to the aggravation of all existing contradictions. In 1988-1990 on the initiative general secretary The CPSU Central Committee of Mikhail Gorbachev significantly weakened the role of the CPSU.

In 1988, the reduction of the party apparatus began, and the electoral system was reformed. In 1990, the constitution was changed, article 6 was eliminated, as a result of which the CPSU was completely separated from the state. At the same time, inter-republican relations were not revised, which led, against the background of the weakening of party structures, to a sharp increase in separatism in the union republics.

According to a number of researchers, one of the key decisions during this period was Mikhail Gorbachev's refusal to equalize the status of the RSFSR with other republics. As the assistant secretary general Anatoly Chernyaev recalled, Gorbachev was "ironically" opposed to the creation of the RSFSR Communist Party and the granting of full-fledged status to the Russian republic. "Such a measure, according to a number of historians, could contribute to the unification of Russian and union structures and ultimately preserve a single state.

Interethnic clashes

During the years of perestroika, interethnic relations in the USSR sharply deteriorated. In 1986, major interethnic clashes took place in Yakutsk and Alma-Ata (Kazakh SSR, now Kazakhstan). In 1988, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began, during which the Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its secession from the Azerbaijan SSR. This was followed by the Armenian-Azerbaijani armed conflict. In 1989, clashes began in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Moldova, South Ossetia, etc. By the middle of 1990, more than 600 thousand citizens of the USSR had become refugees or forced migrants.

"Parade of sovereignties"

In 1988, the independence movement unfolded in the Baltics. It was led by "popular fronts" - mass movements created with the permission of the allied authorities in support of perestroika.

On November 16, 1988, the Supreme Soviet (SC) of the Estonian SSR adopted a declaration on the state sovereignty of the republic and amended the republican constitution, which made it possible to suspend the operation of union laws on the territory of the Estonian SSR. On May 26 and July 28, 1989, similar acts were adopted by the Armed Forces of the Lithuanian and Latvian SSR. On March 11 and 30, 1990, the Lithuanian and Estonian Armed Forces adopted laws on the restoration of their own independent states, and on May 4 the same act was approved by the Latvian parliament.

On September 23, 1989, the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR adopted a constitutional law on the state sovereignty of the republic. During 1990, similar acts were adopted by all other union republics.

Law on the secession of the union republics from the USSR

On April 3, 1990, the USSR Armed Forces adopted a law "On the procedure for resolving issues related to the secession of the union republic from the USSR." According to the document, such a decision was to be made through a referendum called by the local legislature. At the same time, in the union republic, which included autonomous republics, regions and districts, a plebiscite was to be held separately for each autonomy.

The decision to withdraw was considered competent if it was supported by at least two-thirds of the voters. The issues of the status of allied military facilities, enterprises, financial and credit relations of the republic with the center were subject to settlement during a transitional period of five years. In practice, the provisions of this law have not been implemented.

Proclamation of the sovereignty of the RSFSR

The Declaration on State Sovereignty of the RSFSR was adopted on June 12, 1990 by the 1st Congress of People's Deputies of the Republic. In the second half of 1990, the leadership of the RSFSR, headed by the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, Boris Yeltsin, significantly expanded the powers of the government, ministries and departments of the RSFSR. Enterprises, branches of union banks, etc., located on its territory, were declared the property of the republic.

The declaration of sovereignty of Russia was adopted not in order to destroy the Union, but to stop the withdrawal of autonomies from the RSFSR. The plan of autonomization was developed by the Central Committee of the CPSU in order to weaken the RSFSR and Yeltsin, and assumed the endowment of all autonomies with the status of union republics. For the RSFSR, this meant the loss of half of the territory, almost 20 million of the population and most of the natural resources.

Sergey Shakhrai

in 1991 - advisor to Boris Yeltsin

On December 24, 1990, the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR adopted a law according to which the Russian authorities could suspend the Union acts "if they violate the sovereignty of the RSFSR." It was also envisaged that all decisions of the authorities of the USSR enter into force on the territory Russian republic only after their ratification by the Supreme Council. At a referendum on March 17, 1991, the post of president of the republic was introduced in the RSFSR (on June 12, 1991, Boris Yeltsin was elected by him). In May 1991, its own special service was created - the State Security Committee (KGB) of the RSFSR.

New Union Treaty

At the last, XXVIII Congress of the CPSU on July 2-13, 1990, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev announced the need to sign a new Union Treaty. On December 3, 1990, the USSR Armed Forces supported the project proposed by Gorbachev. The document provided for a new concept of the USSR: each republic that was part of it received the status of a sovereign state. The allied authorities retained a narrow scope of powers: organizing defense and ensuring state security, developing and implementing foreign policy, strategy economic development etc.

On December 17, 1990, at the IV Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev proposed "holding a referendum throughout the country so that every citizen speaks for or against the Union of Sovereign States on a federal basis." Nine of the 15 union republics took part in the voting on March 17, 1991: the RSFSR, the Ukrainian, Byelorussian, Uzbek, Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Tajik and Turkmen SSRs. The authorities of Armenia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova and Estonia refused to hold the vote. The referendum was attended by 80% of citizens who had the right to do so. 76.4% of voters supported the preservation of the Union, 21.7% were against.

As a result of the plebiscite, a new draft Union Treaty was developed. On its basis, from April 23 to July 23, 1991, at the residence of the President of the USSR in Novo-Ogarevo, negotiations were held between Mikhail Gorbachev and the presidents of nine of the 15 union republics (RSFSR, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Kazakh, Uzbek, Azerbaijan, Tajik, Kyrgyz and Turkmen SSR) on the creation of the Union of Sovereign States. They received the name "Novo-Ogarevsky process". According to the agreement, the abbreviation "USSR" in the name of the new federation was to be retained, but deciphered as "Union of Soviet Sovereign Republics". In July 1991, the negotiators approved the draft treaty as a whole and scheduled its signing at the time of the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR in September-October 1991.

On July 29-30, Mikhail Gorbachev held closed meetings with the leaders of the RSFSR and KazSSR Boris Yeltsin and Nursultan Nazarbayev, during which he agreed to postpone the signing of the document until August 20. The decision was prompted by fears that the people's deputies of the USSR would vote against the treaty, which implied the creation of a de facto confederal state, in which most of the powers were transferred to the republics. Gorbachev also agreed to dismiss a number of top leaders of the USSR who had a negative attitude towards the "Novo-Ogarev process", in particular, Vice-President of the USSR Gennady Yanayev, Prime Minister Valentin Pavlov, and others.

On August 2, Gorbachev spoke on Central Television, where he said that on August 20 the RSFSR, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan would sign a new Union Treaty, and the other republics would do it "at regular intervals." The text of the treaty for national discussion was published only on August 16, 1991.

August putsch

On the night of August 18-19, a group of eight senior leaders of the USSR (Gennady Yanaev, Valentin Pavlov, Dmitry Yazov, Vladimir Kryuchkov, etc.) formed the State Committee for the State of Emergency (GKChP).

In order to prevent the signing of the Union Treaty, which, in their opinion, would lead to the collapse of the USSR, the members of the State Emergency Committee tried to remove the President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev from power and introduced a state of emergency in the country. However, the leaders of the Emergency Committee did not dare to use force. On August 21, the vice-president of the USSR, Yanaev, signed a decree on the dissolution of the State Emergency Committee and the invalidity of all its decisions. On the same day, the President of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin issued an act on the abolition of the orders of the State Emergency Committee, and the prosecutor of the republic, Valentin Stepankov, issued an order to arrest its members.

Dismantling of state structures of the USSR

After the August events of 1991, the union republics, whose leaders participated in the negotiations in Novo-Ogarevo, declared their independence (on August 24 - Ukraine, on the 30th - Azerbaijan, on the 31st - Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, the rest - in September-December 1991 g.). On August 23, 1991, the President of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin signed a decree "On the suspension of the activities of the Communist Party of the RSFSR", all the property of the CPSU and the Communist Party of the RSFSR on the territory of Russia was nationalized. On August 24, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev dissolved the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

On September 2, 1991, the Izvestia newspaper published a statement by the President of the USSR and the top leaders of 10 union republics. It spoke of the need to "prepare and sign by all willing republics a Treaty on the Union of Sovereign States," and create union coordinating governing bodies for a "transitional period."

On September 2–5, 1991, the V Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR (the highest authority in the country) was held in Moscow. On the last day of the meetings, the law "On the State Power Bodies and Administration of the USSR in the Transition Period" was adopted, in accordance with which the Congress dissolved itself, all the fullness of state power was transferred to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

The State Council of the USSR was established as a temporary body of the highest union administration, "for a coordinated solution of issues of domestic and foreign policy," consisting of the President of the USSR and the heads of the RSFSR, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan. At the meetings of the State Council, the discussion of the new Union Treaty continued, which in the end was never signed.

The law also abolished the Cabinet of Ministers of the USSR, abolished the post of Vice President of the Soviet Union. The inter-republican economic committee (MEK) of the USSR, headed by the former chairman of the government of the RSFSR Ivan Silaev, became the equivalent of the union government. The activities of the IEC on the territory of the RSFSR were terminated on December 19, 1991, its structures were finally liquidated on January 2, 1992.

On September 6, 1991, in contradiction with the existing Constitution of the USSR and the law on the secession of the union republics from the Union, the State Council recognized the independence of the Baltic republics.

On October 18, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev and the leaders of eight union republics (excluding Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Azerbaijan) signed the Treaty on the Economic Community of Sovereign States. The document recognized that "independent states" are "former subjects of the USSR"; assumed the division of the all-Union gold reserve, the Diamond and Monetary Fund; preservation of the ruble as a common currency, with the possibility of introducing national currencies; liquidation of the State Bank of the USSR, etc.

On October 22, 1991, the USSR State Council issued a decree to abolish the allied KGB. On its basis, it was ordered to create the Central Intelligence Service (CSR) of the USSR (foreign intelligence, on the basis of the First Main Directorate), the Inter-republican Security Service (internal security) and the Committee for Protection state border... The KGB of the union republics were transferred "to the exclusive jurisdiction of sovereign states." Finally, the all-Union special service was liquidated on December 3, 1991.

On November 14, 1991, the State Council adopted a resolution on the liquidation of all ministries and other central bodies government controlled USSR since December 1, 1991. On the same day, the heads of seven union republics (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, RSFSR, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev agreed to sign a new Union treaty on December 9, according to which the Union of Sovereign States will be formed as a "confederate Democratic state"Azerbaijan and Ukraine refused to enter it.

Liquidation of the USSR and creation of the CIS

On December 1, a referendum on independence was held in Ukraine (90.32% of those who took part in the vote were in favor). On December 3, the President of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin announced the recognition of this decision.

Even already in Viskuli, even two hours before the signing of what we signed, I did not feel that the USSR would be scrapped. I lived within the framework of the myth of the great Soviet empire. I understood that in the presence of nuclear weapons, no one would attack the USSR. And without such an attack, nothing will happen. I thought the transformation of the political system would be much smoother.

Stanislav Shushkevich

1991 - Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR

On December 8, 1991, the leaders of the RSFSR, Ukraine and Belarus Boris Yeltsin, Leonid Kravchuk and Stanislav Shushkevich at the Viskuli government residence (Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Belarus) signed an Agreement on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the dissolution of the USSR. On December 10, the document was ratified by the Supreme Councils of Ukraine and Belarus. On December 12, the Russian parliament adopted a similar act. According to the document, to the sphere joint activities members of the CIS included: coordination of foreign policy; cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, common European and Eurasian markets, in the field of customs policy; cooperation in the field of protection the environment; migration policy issues; fight against organized crime.

On December 21, 1991, in Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan), 11 leaders of the former Soviet republics signed a declaration on the goals and principles of the CIS, and its foundations. The Declaration confirmed the Belovezhskaya Agreement, indicating that with the formation of the CIS, the USSR would cease to exist.

On December 25, 1991 at 19:00 Moscow time, Mikhail Gorbachev spoke at live Central Television and announced the termination of his activities as President of the USSR. On the same day, the state flag of the USSR was lowered from the flagpole of the Moscow Kremlin and the state flag of the Russian Federation was raised.

On December 26, 1991, the Council of Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a declaration stating that in connection with the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the USSR as a state and a subject international law ceases to exist. "

Signing

The Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact is a non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and fascist Germany, signed on 23 August 1939 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Ribbentrop and the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR V.M.Molotov.

Text of the contract

Both Contracting Parties undertake to refrain from any violence, from any aggressive action and any attack against each other, both separately and jointly with other powers.

In the event that one of the Contracting Parties becomes the object of military action by a third power, the other Contracting Party will not support this power in any form.

The Governments of both Contracting Parties will remain in contact with each other in the future for consultation in order to keep each other informed of matters affecting their common interests.

None of the Contracting Parties will participate in any grouping of powers that is directly or indirectly directed against the other side.

In the event of disputes or conflicts between the Contracting Parties on issues of one kind or another, both parties will resolve these disputes or conflicts exclusively amicably through a friendly exchange of views or necessary cases by creating commissions to resolve the conflict.

This agreement is concluded for a period of ten years, with the fact that since one of the Contracting Parties does not denounce it one year before the expiration of the term, the term of the agreement will be considered automatically extended for the next five years.

This treaty is subject to ratification as soon as possible. The exchange of the instruments of ratification is to take place in Berlin. The contract comes into force immediately after its signing.

The treaty had a secret addition, the so-called secret protocol, the existence of which the public of the USSR learned only during the years of Perestroika. In it, the USSR and Germany defined the spheres of their state interests in Eastern Europe.

Secret protocol text

1. In the event of a territorial and political reorganization of the regions that are part of the Baltic states (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), the northern border of Lithuania is at the same time the border of the spheres of interests of Germany and the USSR. At the same time, the interests of Lithuania in relation to the Vilna region are recognized by both parties.
2. In the event of a territorial and political reorganization of the regions that make up the Polish State, the border of the spheres of interests of Germany and the USSR will approximately pass along the line of the rivers Narew, Vistula and Sanaa.
The question of whether it is in mutual interests to preserve the independent Polish State and what the borders of this state will be, can be finally clarified only in the course of further political development.
In any case, both Governments will resolve this issue by way of friendly mutual consent.
3. Regarding the southeast of Europe, the Soviet side emphasizes the interest of the USSR in Bessarabia. The German side declares its complete political disinterest in these areas.
4. This protocol will be kept in strict confidence by both parties.

The essence of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was that Germany, confident in the inviolability of its eastern borders, acquired freedom of action against England and France, and the Soviet Union, having increased its territory at the expense of Poland and the Baltic States, received time to re-equip the army

History of the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

  • 1939, March 15 - Germany occupied the Czech Republic, declaring it its protectorate under the name of Moravia and Bohemia
  • 1939, March 18 - The initiative of the Soviet government to convene a conference of representatives of the USSR, Great Britain, France, Poland, Romania and Turkey to discuss measures to prevent further aggression
  • 1939, March 19 - the British government found such a proposal premature
  • 1939, April 17 - the USSR proposed a draft of a trilateral treaty providing for "providing all kinds of assistance, including military, to the Eastern European states located between the Baltic and Black Seas and bordering the USSR, in the event of aggression against these states." the proposal did not find support from England and France
  • 1939, April 29 - France put forward a declaration of intent: to provide military support to each other or solidarity support to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the event of German aggression. In the USSR, the proposal did not find support
  • 1939, May 8 - England put forward the idea of ​​an agreement in which the USSR would express its intention to help England and France if they find themselves drawn into a war with Germany, fulfilling their guarantees to the Eastern European countries. This proposal was rejected by the USSR because it did not meet the principle of reciprocity.
  • 1939, May 27 - British Prime Minister Chamberlain, fearing a rapprochement between the USSR and Germany, spoke in favor of discussing the pact of assistance proposed by the Soviet Union on April 17 to states that may be attacked by the Nazis
    In the negotiations, the parties did not trust each other. Particularly difficult was the question military aid, which the Soviet Union was supposed to provide England and France, because for this Poland would have to let the Red Army pass through its territory, to which it did not agree.
    “I must admit that I do not trust Russia at all. I do not believe that she will be able to conduct effective offensive actions even if she wants to ... Moreover, she is hated and treated with suspicion by many small states, especially Poland, Romania and Finland "(personal letter from British Prime Minister Chamberlain, March 28, 1939 of the year).

    "There is no doubt that the USSR wants to conclude a military pact and does not want us to turn this pact into an empty piece of paper that has no specific meaning ... The failure of the negotiations is inevitable if Poland does not change its position" (message to Paris by the head of the French military mission, General Dumenk, August 20, 1939)

    “An obstacle to the conclusion of such an agreement (with the USSR) was the horror that these same border states experienced before Soviet aid in the form of Soviet armies who could pass through their territories in order to protect them from the Germans and, along the way, include them in the Soviet-communist system. After all, they were the fiercest opponents of this system. Poland, Romania, Finland and the three Baltic states did not know what they feared more - German aggression or Russian salvation "(W. Churchill" World War II ")

Diplomatic contacts of the Soviet Union with Britain and France were interrupted by the conclusion of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which was negotiated with Germany at the same time.

  • 1939, March 10 - Stalin, in a speech at the 18th Congress of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), among other things, said: “... Continue to pursue a policy of peace and strengthen business ties with all countries ... Do not allow our country to be drawn into conflicts by war provocateurs who are accustomed to raking in the heat of strangers hands "

    Stalin's words were perceived by Ribbentrop as an allusion to the possibility of improving relations between Germany and the USSR. Subsequently, after the conclusion of the Pact, Molotov called it "the beginning of a turn" in Soviet-German relations.

  • 1939, April 17 - Conversation between the plenipotentiary of the USSR in Berlin AF Merekalov with the State Secretary of the German Foreign Ministry E. von Weizsacker, at which they agreed that "Ideological differences should not become a stumbling block in relation to (the USSR) and Germany"
  • 1939, May 3 - People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR, Jew Litvinov was dismissed. His place was taken by Molotov. Berlin appreciated this step
  • 1939, May 5 - German newspapers are prohibited from all attacks on the USSR
  • 1939, May 9 - Rumors appeared in Berlin that Germany "has made or is going to make Russia proposals aimed at the partition of Poland."
  • 1939, May 20 - Molotov, at a meeting with the German ambassador Schulenburg, talked with him in an extremely friendly tone, saying that for the success of economic negotiations "an appropriate political base must be created."
  • 1939, May 31 - Molotov reciprocated the curtsey of England (see May 27), but at the same time he made a reservation that the USSR did not refuse "from business relations for practical basis»With Italy and Germany, and avoided attacks on Germany, which was noticed and appreciated in Berlin
  • 1939, June 28 - At a meeting with the half of Germany, Schulenburg Molotov said that the normalization of relations with Germany is a desirable and possible thing
  • 1939, July 24-26 - Soviet and German diplomats in an informal atmosphere discussed the way to improve relations between their countries
  • 1939, August 3 - An official statement by Ribbentrop about Germany's readiness for rapprochement with the Soviet Union with a hint at the division of spheres of influence: “On all problems related to the territory from Black to Baltic Sea, we could easily agree ... "
  • 1939, August 15 - Moscow officially learned from Schulenburg Ribbentrop's readiness to come for negotiations. In response, Molotov put forward a proposal to conclude a full-fledged pact, instead of the joint declaration proposed by Schulenburg on the non-use of force against each other.
  • 1939, August 17 - Schulenburg conveyed to Molotov an answer about his readiness to conclude a pact for 25 years. Molotov conditioned the conclusion of the pact with the signing of a trade and credit agreement
  • 1939, August 19 - an economic agreement was signed between the USSR and Germany and the signing of a pact was agreed on August 26-27, but at the personal request of Hitler, who was in a hurry to attack Poland, the case was accelerated

    The Non-Aggression Pact between Germany and the Soviet Union (Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) was signed on August 23, 1939, ratified by the Supreme Council on August 31

  • 1939, August 24 - “The friendship of the peoples of the USSR and Germany, driven into a dead end by the efforts of the enemies, must henceforth receive the necessary conditions for its development and prosperity "(editorial of the newspaper "Pravda"). Since then, anti-fascist propaganda in the media of the Soviet Union was banned, even the film was removed from the rental.

    "IN. V. Vishnevsky wrote in his personal diary in December 1940: “Hatred for the Prussian barracks, for fascism, for the“ new order ”is in our blood ... We write under the conditions of military restrictions, visible and invisible. I would like to talk about the enemy, to raise anger against what is happening in crucified Europe. We must be silent for now ... ”Vishnevsky took the manuscript of the first part of“ The Fall of Paris ”from me and said that he would try to“ drag it through ”. Two months later, he came back with good news: the first part was allowed, but he would have to go for bills. Although it was about Paris of 1935-1937 and there were no Germans there, the word "fascism" had to be removed. The text described a Parisian demonstration, the censor wanted, instead of exclaiming: "Down with the fascists!" - I put: "Down with the reactionaries!" (I. Ehrenburg "People. Years, life")

    Results of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

    • September 1, 1939 - Germany invaded Poland. Start
    • September 17, 1939 - The Red Army crosses the eastern border of Poland
    • September 18, 1939 - a joint parade of the Red Army and the Wehrmacht in Brest.
      The parade was received by General Guderian and brigade commander Krivoshein
    • September 28, 1939 - the Treaty of Friendship and the Border Between the USSR and Germany was signed

      The government of the USSR and the German government establish a line as the boundary between mutual state interests in the territory of the former Polish state, which is plotted on the attached map and will be described in more detail in an additional protocol ....
      The government of the USSR and the German government consider the above reorganization as a reliable foundation for the further development of friendly relations between their peoples.

    • October 12, 1939 - the USSR demanded that Finland move the border 70 km from Leningrad, cede a military base on the island of Hanko. to give up the polar territories around Petsamo
    • October 25, 1939 - Agreement on the supply of grain, oil and other goods from the USSR to Germany
    • October 26, 1939 - the USSR handed over Vilno and the Vilnius region to Lithuania. belonging to Poland
    • November 1-2, 1939 - the Supreme Soviet of the USSR approved the annexation of Western Ukraine and Western Belarus to the USSR
    • November 30, 1939-March 12, 1940 -

The Supreme Soviet of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, guided by paragraph 15 of Article 109 of the Constitution (Basic Law) of the RSFSR, decides:

1. Ratify the Agreement between the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation (RSFSR) and Ukraine on the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States, signed in Minsk on December 8, 1991.

2. In order to create the conditions necessary for the implementation of Article 11 of the said Agreement, to establish that on the territory of the RSFSR, prior to the adoption of the relevant legislative acts of the RSFSR, the norms the former Soviet Union SSR are applied in the part that does not contradict the Constitution of the RSFSR, the legislation of the RSFSR and this Agreement.

3. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, in cooperation with the President of the RSFSR and the Government of the RSFSR, shall ensure the submission to the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR of draft regulations arising from the provisions of the Agreement on the Establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The Supreme Council of the RSFSR appeals to all states - former union republics of the USSR, regardless of their national, religious and other differences, sharing the ideas of the Agreement, with a proposal to join the Commonwealth of Independent States for mutually beneficial cooperation in the interests of all peoples.

Chairperson
Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR
R. I. KHASBULATOV

ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES

We, the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation (RSFSR), Ukraine as the founding states of the USSR, signed the Union Treaty of 1922, hereinafter referred to as the High Contracting Parties, state that the USSR as a subject of international law and geopolitical reality ceases to exist.

Based on the historical community of our peoples and the ties that have developed between them, taking into account the bilateral treaties concluded between the High Contracting Parties,

Striving to build democratic rule of law states,

Intending to develop their relations on the basis of mutual recognition and respect for state sovereignty, the inalienable right to self-determination, the principles of equality and non-interference in internal affairs, refusal to use force, economic or any other methods of pressure, settlement of disputed problems by conciliatory means, other generally recognized principles and norms of international rights,

Considering that the further development and strengthening of relations of friendship, good-neighborliness and mutually beneficial cooperation between our states meet fundamental national interests their peoples and serve the cause of peace and security,

Reaffirming its commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Helsinki The final act and other documents of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe,

Committing to respecting universally recognized international norms on human and peoples' rights,

Have agreed as follows:

The High Contracting Parties form the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The High Contracting Parties guarantee their citizens, regardless of their nationality or other differences, equal rights and freedoms. Each of the High Contracting Parties guarantees citizens of other Parties, as well as stateless persons residing in its territory, regardless of their nationality or other differences, civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights and freedoms in accordance with generally recognized international standards on human rights.

The High Contracting Parties, wishing to promote the expression, preservation and development of the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of the national minorities inhabiting their territories and the established unique ethnocultural regions, take them under their protection.

The High Contracting Parties will develop equal and mutually beneficial cooperation of their peoples and states in the field of politics, economy, culture, education, health care, environmental protection, science, trade, humanitarian and other fields, promote broad information exchange, faithfully and rigorously observe mutual obligations ...

The parties consider it necessary to conclude agreements on cooperation in these areas.

The High Contracting Parties recognize and respect territorial integrity each other and the inviolability of existing borders within the framework of the commonwealth.

They guarantee open borders, freedom of movement of citizens and the transfer of information within the Commonwealth.

The member states of the Commonwealth will cooperate in ensuring international peace and security, implementing effective measures cuts in armaments and military spending. They strive for the elimination of all nuclear weapons, general and complete disarmament under strict international control.

The parties will respect each other's striving to achieve the status of a nuclear-free zone and a neutral state.

The member states of the Commonwealth will preserve and maintain under a joint command a common military-strategic space, including a single control over nuclear weapons, the implementation of which is regulated by a special agreement.

They also jointly guarantee the necessary conditions for the deployment, functioning, material and social security of the strategic armed forces. The parties undertake to pursue an agreed policy on issues social protection and pension provision military personnel and their families.

The High Contracting Parties recognize that the sphere of their joint activities, implemented on an equal basis through the common coordinating institutions of the Commonwealth, include:

Coordination of foreign policy activities;
- cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, common European and Eurasian markets, in the field of customs policy;
- cooperation in the development of transport and communication systems;
- cooperation in the field of environmental protection, participation in the creation of a comprehensive international system of environmental safety;
- issues of migration policy;
- fight against organized crime.

The parties are aware of the planetary nature Chernobyl disaster and undertake to unite and coordinate their efforts to minimize and overcome its consequences.

They agreed to conclude a special agreement for this purpose, taking into account the severity of the consequences of the disaster.

Disputes regarding the interpretation and application of the provisions of this Agreement shall be resolved through negotiations between the relevant authorities, and, if necessary, at the level of the Heads of Government and States.

Article 10.

Each of the High Contracting Parties reserves the right to suspend this Agreement or its individual articles by notifying the parties to the Agreement one year in advance.

The provisions of this Agreement may be supplemented or changed by mutual agreement of the High Contracting Parties.

Article 11.

From the moment of the signing of this Agreement on the territories of the signatory states, the application of the norms of third states, including the former USSR, is prohibited.

Article 12.

The High Contracting Parties guarantee the fulfillment of international obligations arising for them from the treaties and agreements of the former USSR.

Article 13

This Agreement does not affect the obligations of the High Contracting Parties in relation to third states.

This agreement is open for accession by all member states of the former USSR, as well as for other states that share the goals and principles of this Agreement.

Article 14.

The official seat of the coordinating bodies of the commonwealth is the city of Minsk.

The activities of the bodies of the former USSR on the territories of the member states of the Commonwealth are terminated.

Done in the city of Minsk on December 8, 1991 in triplicate, each in the Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian languages, the three texts being equally authentic.

For the Republic of Belarus S. SHUSHKEVICH
V. KEBICH
For the RSFSR B. YELTSIN
G. BURBULIS
For Ukraine L. KRAVCHUK
V. FOKIN

MINUTES dated December 21, 1991
TO THE AGREEMENT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES SIGNED ON DECEMBER 8, 1991 IN MINSK BY THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS, THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION (RSFSR), UKRAINE

The Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation (RSFSR), the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and Ukraine on an equal footing and as the High Contracting Parties form the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The Agreement on the Creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States shall enter into force for each of the High Contracting Parties from the moment of its ratification.

On the basis of the Agreement on the Creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States and taking into account the reservations made upon its ratification, documents will be developed regulating cooperation within the framework of the Commonwealth.

This Protocol is an integral part of the Agreement on the Creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Done in the city of Alma-Ata on December 21, 1991 in one copy in the Azerbaijani, Armenian, Belarusian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Moldavian, Russian, Tajik, Turkmen, Uzbek and Ukrainian languages. All texts are equally authentic. The original copy is kept in the archives of the Government of the Republic of Belarus, which will send to the High Contracting Parties a certified copy of this Protocol.

For the Republic of Azerbaijan A. MUTALIBOV
For the Republic of Armenia L. TER-PETROSYAN
For the Republic of Belarus S. SHUSHKEVICH
For the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev
For the Republic of Kyrgyzstan A. AKAEV
For the Republic of Moldova M. SNEGUR
For the Russian Federation (RSFSR) B. YELTSIN
For the Republic of Tajikistan R. NABIEV
For Turkmenistan S. NIYAZOV
For the Republic of Uzbekistan I.KARIMOV
For Ukraine L. KRAVCHUK

AGREEMENT ON THE COORDINATING INSTITUTIONS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES

1. To resolve issues related to the coordination of the activities of the Commonwealth states in the sphere of common interests, create a supreme body of the Commonwealth - the Council of Heads of States, as well as the Council of Heads of Government.

2. To instruct the plenipotentiaries of the Commonwealth states to submit, by December 30, 1991, to the Council of Heads of States for consideration, proposals on the abolition of the structures of the former USSR, as well as on the coordination institutions of the Commonwealth.

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF HEADS OF INDEPENDENT STATES

Proceeding from the provisions enshrined in the Agreement on the Establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States and in the Declaration of Alma-Ata on the preservation of a common strategic military space and unified control over nuclear weapons under the united command, the High Contracting Parties have agreed as follows:

Prior to resolving the issue of reforming the Armed Forces, entrust the command of the Armed Forces to Marshal Shaposhnikov E.I.

COUNCIL OF HEADS OF STATES OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES

The member states of the Commonwealth, referring to Article 12 of the Agreement on the Establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States,

Based on the intention of each state to fulfill its obligations under the UN Charter and to participate in the work of this organization as full members,

Considering that the original members of the UN were the Republic of Belarus, the USSR and Ukraine,

Expressing satisfaction with the fact that the Republic of Belarus and Ukraine continue to participate in the UN as sovereign independent states,

Determined to contribute to the strengthening of international peace and security on the basis of the UN Charter in the interests of our peoples and the entire international community,

1. The Commonwealth states support Russia in continuing the USSR's membership in the UN, including permanent membership in the Security Council, and other international organizations.

2. The Republic of Belarus, the RSFSR, Ukraine will provide other states of the Commonwealth with support in resolving issues of their full membership in the UN and other international organizations.

Done in the city of Alma-Ata on December 21, 1991 in one copy in the Azerbaijani, Armenian, Belarusian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Moldavian, Russian, Tajik, Turkmen, Uzbek and Ukrainian languages. All texts are equally authentic. The original copy is kept in the archives of the Government of the Republic of Belarus, which will send to the High Contracting Parties a certified copy of this Protocol.

AGREEMENT ON JOINT MEASURES REGARDING NUCLEAR WEAPONS

The Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation (RSFSR) and Ukraine, hereinafter referred to as the "member states",

Reaffirming their commitment to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons,

Striving for the elimination of all nuclear weapons, wishing to contribute to the strengthening of international stability, have agreed as follows:

Nuclear weapons, which are part of the United Strategic Armed Forces, ensure the collective security of all members of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The States Parties to this Agreement reaffirm their commitment to non-use of nuclear weapons first.

The States Parties to this Agreement shall jointly develop policies on nuclear issues.

Until the complete elimination of nuclear weapons on the territories of the Republic of Belarus and Ukraine, the decision on the need for their use shall be made in agreement with the heads of the states parties to the Agreement by the President of the RSFSR on the basis of procedures developed jointly by the participating states.

1. The Republic of Belarus and Ukraine undertake to accede to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as non-nuclear states and to conclude an appropriate safeguards agreement with the IAEA.

2. The States Parties to this Agreement undertake not to transfer to anybody nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices and technologies, as well as control over such nuclear and explosive devices, either directly or indirectly; nor in any way assist, encourage or induce any non-nuclear-weapon State to manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, or control such weapons or explosive devices.

3. The provisions of paragraph 2 of this article do not prevent the transfer of nuclear weapons from the territories of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and Ukraine to the territory of the RSFSR for the purpose of their destruction.

The States Parties to this Agreement in accordance with international treaty will contribute to the elimination of nuclear weapons. By July 1, 1992, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and Ukraine will ensure the export of tactical nuclear weapons to the central pre-factory bases for their dismantling under joint control.

The governments of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation (RSFSR), and Ukraine undertake to submit the START Treaty for ratification to the Supreme Councils of their states.

This agreement is subject to ratification. It will enter into force on the 30th day after the deposit of all instruments of ratification with the Government of the RSFSR.

Done in the city of Alma-Ata in one original copy, in the Belarusian, Kazakh, Russian and Ukrainian languages, all texts being equally authentic.

ALMA-ATA DECLARATION

Independent States

Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation (RSFSR), Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Republic of Uzbekistan and Ukraine,

Striving to build democratic rule-of-law states, relations between which will develop on the basis of mutual recognition and respect for state sovereignty and sovereign equality, the inalienable right to self-determination, the principles of equality and non-interference in internal affairs, refusal to use force and the threat of force, economic and any other methods of pressure, peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for human rights and freedoms, including the rights of national minorities, conscientious fulfillment obligations and other generally recognized principles and norms of international law;

Recognizing and respecting each other's territorial integrity and the inviolability of existing borders;

Considering that the strengthening of relations of friendship, good-neighborliness and mutually beneficial cooperation, which have deep historical roots, meets the fundamental interests of the peoples and serves the cause of peace and security;

Realizing their responsibility for maintaining civil peace and interethnic harmony;

Committed to the goals and principles of the Agreement establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States,

Declare as follows:

The interaction of the members of the Commonwealth will be carried out on the principle of equality through coordinating institutions formed on a parity basis and acting in the manner determined by agreements between the members of the Commonwealth, which is neither a state nor a supranational entity.

In order to ensure international strategic stability and security, the united command of the military-strategic forces and the unified control over nuclear weapons will be preserved; the parties will respect each other's striving to achieve the status of a nuclear-free and / or neutral state.

The Commonwealth of Independent States is open with the consent of all its members for the accession to it of the member states of the former USSR, as well as other states that share the goals and principles of the Commonwealth.

The commitment to cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, pan-European and Eurasian markets is confirmed.

With the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ceases to exist.

The member states of the Commonwealth guarantee, in accordance with their constitutional procedures, the fulfillment of international obligations arising from the treaties and agreements of the former USSR.

The member states of the Commonwealth undertake to strictly abide by the principles of this Declaration.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan A. MUTALIBOV
President of the Republic of Armenia L. TER-PETROSYAN
President of the Republic of Belarus S. SHUSHKEVICH
President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev
President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan A. AKAYEV
President of the Republic of Moldova M. SNEGUR
President of the Russian Federation (RSFSR) B. YELTSIN
President of the Republic of Tajikistan R. NABIEV
President of Turkmenistan S. NIYAZOV
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan I.KARIMOV
President of Ukraine L. KRAVCHUK

Approx. ed .: the decree was published in the "Bulletin of the SND and the RF Armed Forces", 19.12.1991. 51, Article 1798.

On December 8, 1991, in the town of Viskuli near Minsk, the top leaders of the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine signed an Agreement on the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States: "The Union of SSR as a subject of international law and geopolitical reality" ceased to exist. Forming the CIS, the parties declared their adherence to the principles of respect for state sovereignty, equality and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, refusal to use force, economic or any other methods of pressure, settlement of disputed problems by conciliatory means; guaranteed open borders, freedom of movement of citizens and the transfer of information within the framework of the Commonwealth.

In addition, as stated in the Agreement, the CIS states agreed to maintain a common military-strategic space under the joint command, including a single control over nuclear weapons. The sphere of joint activities carried out through common institutions also included: coordination of foreign policy activities; cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, common European and Eurasian markets, in the field of customs policy; cooperation in other areas.

In a special declaration, the parties declared the Commonwealth open for the accession of other states.

On December 10, 1991, the Agreement was ratified by the parliaments of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The Supreme Council of Ukraine adopted the Agreement without discussion, but with twelve-point reservations, the general meaning of which was to change the most “confederately formulated” provisions of the Agreement (for example, instead of “coordinating foreign policy activities”, the Ukrainian version spoke of “consultations in the field of foreign policy”; in a different reading were given articles on open borders and the armed forces).

On December 13, a meeting of the presidents of five Central Asian states was held in Ashgabat at the initiative of the presidents of Turkmenistan S. Niyazov and Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev. The result was a Statement in which the parties expressed their fundamental solidarity with the Belovezhskaya agreements, while insisting that each of the republics the former USSR has the right to claim the role of the founder of the new Commonwealth. To consider the formation of the CIS, it was proposed to hold a special meeting of the heads of state of the former USSR.

It was precisely such a meeting that took place on December 21, 1991 in Alma-Ata. Eleven of the fifteen states of the former USSR were officially represented (excluding the Baltics and Georgia; the latter limited its participation to the observer level). The parties signed the Protocol to the Agreement on the Establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which expanded the number of CIS founders to eleven, and the Declaration confirming the main goals and principles of the Commonwealth and at the same time stating that the CIS is neither a state nor a supranational entity.

From a legal point of view, thus, the founders of the CIS are not three states - participants of the Belovezhskaya meeting, but eleven states; there are two dates for the founding of the Commonwealth - December 8 and 21, 1991, and constituent acts There are three documents - the Agreement on the Creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States of December 8, 1991, the Protocol to the Agreement and the Alma-Ata Declaration of December 21, 1991.

At a meeting in Alma-Ata, the CIS states also stated that they "support Russia to continue the USSR's membership in the UN, including permanent membership in the Security Council and other international organizations."

Subsequently, the legal base of the CIS was formed by contractual means. In 1993, the Commonwealth Charter was adopted.

For all their compactness, the three constituent documents of the CIS were not free from contradictions. The agreement of December 8, although it did not contain the qualification of the Commonwealth as a confederation, carried a clearly expressed confederal principle (articles on the openness of borders, coordination of foreign policy activities, a common economic space, coordinating bodies of the Commonwealth); moreover, in one of the articles of the Agreement there was even an element of a union state ("The member states of the Commonwealth will maintain a common military-strategic space under joint command, including a single control over nuclear weapons").

The confederal beginning of the initial agreements was also present in the decisions that followed later on the preservation of a single currency - the ruble; in the declared intention of the parties to coordinate their monetary and economic policy in general; in the declared and then confirmed principles of freedom of movement and transparency of borders up to the absence of border, customs and other types of control. Starting with the summit in Alma-Ata, the creation of common institutions of the Commonwealth began, and this, again, brought it closer to the confederal model.

"International organization", "confederation" or "union of states" - for the time of the formation of the CIS, this triple contradiction was inevitable, because behind each of these principles were certain interests of the founding states. Russia and the Central Asian republics initially gravitated towards the confederation model: the latter discussed the idea of ​​a confederative unification among themselves back in 1990. international organization stood Ukraine. In the situation of the disintegrating union space, the “allied elements” of the originally set legal status of the CIS also appeared inevitable and even necessary: ​​to solve the problem of control over the four nuclear arsenals It was impossible for Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. The initial “CIS project” with all its legal contradictions was, therefore, that extremely broad common denominator on which it was only possible to carry out the primary reintegration of the post-Soviet space.

On the other hand, the transformation of these contradictions into a mine of immediate or delayed action was inevitable for the Commonwealth, and this is on the main axes of the CIS - in its "Slavic troika" and "nuclear four".

With all the ups and downs that took place in the post-Soviet space in 1992-94, all this time the Commonwealth has been building the system of its organs. Back at the Almaty summit in December 1991, it was decided that the supreme body of the CIS is the Council of Heads of State. According to the CIS Charter, the Council of CIS Heads of State discusses and decides fundamental issues related to the activities of the member states. The Council meets at least twice a year; extraordinary meetings may be convened at the initiative of one of the member states. At the meetings of the Council, the heads of state preside in turn in the order of the Russian alphabet of the names of the CIS member states (in December 1993 a new post of the CIS Chairman was established, whose powers continue throughout the year - Boris Yeltsin was elected the first Chairman in 1994 ). Meetings of the Council are held, as a rule, in the capitals of the CIS member states13.

The second most important body of the CIS is the Council of Heads of Government, the decision on which, like the decision on the Council of Heads of State, was also adopted in December 1991. The Council of Heads of Government is responsible for coordinating cooperation between executive authorities in the economic, social and other fields; meets at least four times a year. Decisions at the Council are made by consensus, but any state in this case has the right to declare its disinterest, which is not an obstacle to making a decision.

In February 1992, the Council of CIS Defense Ministers was established, and in September 1993, the Council of CIS Foreign Ministers; the latter has a Peacekeeping Advisory Commission.

Until 1993, the Commonwealth had the General Command of the Joint Armed Forces - in December 1993, instead of this body, the Headquarters for the coordination of military cooperation of the CIS member states was created, subordinate to the Council of CIS Defense Ministers and uniting representatives of the states that signed the CIS Collective Security Treaty ... Within the framework of the same Treaty, the Collective Security Council operates, working in direct connection with the Headquarters for the Coordination of Military Cooperation and the Council of CIS Defense Ministers. In the system of military-political cooperation of the CIS, the Council of Commanders-in-Chief of the Border Troops, established in July 1992, also functions.

In July 1992, the Economic Court was established, the task of which is to consider cases of violations of contractual obligations between enterprises of the CIS member states and make decisions on them. In the sphere of legal cooperation of the CIS states, there is also an Interstate Court, created by the decision of the January 1993 summit and considering cases of disagreements related to national minorities and the borders of the CIS. The Human Rights Commission operates in the same system.

A number of decisions important for the institutionalization of the Commonwealth were adopted at a meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of State on May 14-15, 1993. Economic Union The CIS decided to establish a permanent executive and coordinating body of the Union - the Coordination and Consultative Committee, consisting of permanent representatives of the states participating in the Union - two from each state; the Executive Secretariat of the CIS was created under the Committee. A year later, in April 1994, the Economic Union Commission was established in the same system. (The Coordination and Consultative Committee ceased its activity in October 1994, transferring its structures and functions to a new body of the Commonwealth - the Interstate Economic Committee). In December 1993, the CIS Interstate Bank was established, headed by the head of the Central Bank of Russia and with the task of promoting interstate financial relations.

Finally, in October 1994, at a meeting of the CIS heads of state, an attempt was made to create the first supranational body of the Commonwealth, the idea of ​​which was that it should work “not from summit to summit,” but on a permanent basis, and whose decisions would be binding , - Interstate Economic Committee.

In the CIS, sectoral bodies have also been created to coordinate cooperation in such areas as space research, environmental protection, energy, rail transport, science and technology, standardization, and customs.

At the moment, the Commonwealth has become an integral element of the Eurasian political system, a reality that exists regardless of any subjective attitude towards it. The CIS provides the institutional and organizational and, to a certain extent, the normative and legal community of the states of the post-Soviet space.

The final role in the collapse of the USSR and the acquisition of state sovereignty by the Republic of Belarus was played by the conclusion of the Agreement between the Republic of Belarus, the RSFSR and the Ukraine on the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which was signed on December 8, 1991 by the Chairman of the Republic of Belarus.

The preamble of the signed Agreement on the Establishment of the CIS states: “We, the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation (RSFSR), Ukraine, as the founding states of the USSR, signed the Union Treaty of 1922, hereinafter referred to as the High Contracting Parties, state that the USSR as a subject of international law and geopolitical reality ceases to exist. "
The signatories to the Agreement proclaimed the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. It announced that from the moment of the conclusion of the Agreement on the territory of the signatory countries, the application of the norms of third states, including the former USSR, is not allowed, and the activities of the Union authorities are terminated. Regarding the non-application of the norms of "third" states, we believe that the entry appeared out of fear that the Agreement contradicts the Union legislation and appropriate measures may be applied to the parties to the Agreement.

During the preparation of the Agreement for ratification, the author of this book, for the reason that national legislation was still only at the beginning of its development and it was impossible to do without a number of Union laws, primarily in the socio-economic sphere, proposed to make a reservation to the Agreement, according to which the norms of acts of union legislation are applied to the extent that they do not contradict Belarusian legislation, which was eventually done by the Supreme Soviet. Then he expressed his position in one of the newspaper articles (the USSR disappeared, but the laws remained).

The parties to the Agreement pledged to “develop equal and mutually beneficial cooperation of their peoples and states in the field of politics, economy, culture, education, health care, environmental protection, trade, humanitarian and other fields, to promote broad information exchange” and, most importantly, “in good faith and strictly observe mutual obligations ”.

The agreement provided for the inviolability of existing borders within the framework of the Commonwealth, declared guarantees of their openness and freedom of movement of citizens. In the articles dealing with the issues of military development and defense, the founding states stated their readiness to actively cooperate in "ensuring international peace and security, implementing effective measures to reduce arms and military expenditures," once again reaffirming the desire to "eliminate all nuclear weapons, universal and complete disarmament under strict international control ", declared respect for those who strive" to achieve the status of a nuclear-free zone and a neutral state. "

The leaders of the three states stated that "they will maintain and maintain under a joint command a common military-strategic space, including a single control over nuclear weapons," and "jointly guarantee the necessary conditions for the deployment, functioning, material and social security of the strategic armed forces."

The Agreement contains a list of the main areas of joint activities that the countries intend to carry out through common coordinating bodies. In particular, coordination of foreign policy activities, cooperation in the formation and development of a common economic space, pan-European and Eurasian markets, cooperation in the field of customs policy, development of transport and communication systems, environmental protection, migration policy, and the fight against organized crime. The planetary nature of the Chernobyl disaster was emphasized, and obligations were taken to “unite and coordinate efforts to minimize and overcome its consequences”.

The agreement was declared open for all the republics of the former USSR to join it, as well as other states sharing the goals and principles of this document. The official seat of the coordinating bodies of the Commonwealth was the city of Minsk.
The Agreement was signed: for the Republic of Belarus - Chairman of the Supreme Soviet Stanislav Shushkevich and Chairman of the Council of Ministers Vyacheslav Kebich, for the Russian Federation - President Boris Yeltsin and Secretary of State Gennady Burbulis, for Ukraine - President Leonid Kravchuk and Prime Minister Vitold Fokin.

The leaders of the countries, in addition to the main document (the Agreement), signed a Statement in which they named the reasons that prompted them to sign the Agreement. This was explained by the following: “negotiations on the preparation of a new Union Treaty within the framework of the USSR reached an impasse (however, most of these leaders did not particularly show a desire to bring these negotiations out of the impasse); the objective process of the secession of the republics from the USSR and the formation of independent states has become a real factor; the non-far-sighted policy of the leadership of the USSR led to a deep economic and political crisis, to the collapse of production, a catastrophic decline in the living standards of practically all strata of society; the growth of social tension in many regions of the former USSR was accompanied by interethnic conflicts with numerous human casualties. "

A day later, on December 10, it was ratified by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus (with one against and two abstentions). On the same day, in accordance with the Declaration on the State Sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus and the Provision of the Supreme Council "On Ensuring the Political and Economic Independence of the Republic of Belarus" The treaty of 1922 on the formation of the USSR was denounced and it was recognized to consider it not valid in relation to the Republic of Belarus. The Provision on Denunciation of the Treaty was put into effect from the moment of its adoption.

The Russian parliament acted in the same vein. BN Yeltsin's position at the meeting of the "three" in Viskuli did not raise any significant objections. On December 12, 1991, the deputies of the Russian parliament with an overwhelming number of votes (188 for, 6 against, and 7 abstained) ratified the Belavezha Accords. Voting on the resolution on denunciation of the Union Treaty of 1922 yielded the following results: 161 votes in favor, 3 against, 9 abstained. Of those who voted "against", the most decisive position on the preservation of the USSR was taken by SN Baburin and VB Isakov. It should be noted that after eight seconds extra years In April 1999, when the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation raised the issue of dismissing the President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, the first point of accusation against him was the actions in connection with the preparation, conclusion and implementation of the Belovezhskaya Agreements.

In the opinion of the State Duma deputies, “the illegal nature of these actions lies in the fact that the President of the RSFSR B.N. Yeltsin, together with former leaders Ukraine and Belarus by L.M. Kravchuk and S.S.Shushkevich prepared, on December 8, 1991 signed and then implemented the Belovezhskaya agreements, which led to the destruction of the Soviet Union and caused serious damage to the external and internal security of the Russian Federation. It was the first point of the accusation of the five brought against the President of Russia by the State Duma during the voting, which won the largest number of votes of the deputies.

On December 10, 1991, the Supreme Soviet of Ukraine ratified the Agreement on the Establishment of the CIS, but with very significant reservations. Among the most radical reservations, two should be noted: the first concerned the need for Ukraine to create its own Armed Forces, and the second - to create an independent economic system by introducing its own monetary unit, creation of independent banking and customs systems, development of their own transport and communication systems.

December 21, 1991 chapters 11 of 15 gathered in Alma-Ata former republics The USSR - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine - signed a Declaration, which not only confirmed the main goals and principles of the CIS, but also made a number of very important clarifications. In particular, for the first time in the documents on the creation of the CIS, it was said that this entity is neither a state nor a supra-state entity. The parties also stated that the CIS is open, with the consent of all its members, for accession to it by the member states of the former USSR, as well as other states that share the goals and principles of the Commonwealth. It was also confirmed that with the formation of the CIS, the Soviet Union ceases to exist. The participants of the Alma-Ata meeting signed the Protocol to the Agreement on the Establishment of the CIS, adopted on December 8, 1991 in Viskuli. In this document, they stated that “the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation (RSFSR), the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and Ukraine on an equal footing and how the High Contracting Parties form Commonwealth of Independent States ".

Thus, with regard to the constituent documents on the basis of which the Commonwealth arose and operates, there are three of them - the Agreement on the Establishment of the CIS of December 8, 1991, the Protocol to the Agreement on the Establishment of the CIS of December 21, 1991, and the Alma-Ata Declaration of 21 December 1991

Of particular interest for legal practice is the solution of legal issues related to the collapse of the USSR. In particular, at the time of the denunciation of the 1922 Treaty, the Supreme Council of the USSR acted, and the full powers of the people's deputies of the USSR, including from the Republic of Belarus, were preserved. Undoubtedly, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus could not influence the will of other republics, including those that were not represented on December 8, 1991 at the conclusion of the Agreement. Therefore, he was not entitled to invalidate the powers of the Union parliament. However, as we have already noted, the legal basis for the mechanism of action of the acts of the Union of SSR was previously created (priority was given to republican acts). In this situation, a decision was made to invalidate the laws of the USSR on the elections of people's deputies of the USSR and their status in the republic, thus the empowerment of persons elected on the territory of the republic was actually terminated. Such formulations were contained in the law "On measures related to the adoption of the Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus" On the denunciation of the 1922 Treaty on the formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics "adopted on December 11, 1991. This law was put into effect from the moment of its adoption.

For comparison, let us note that in the Baltic republics the process of changing the status of people's deputies of the USSR through the adoption of the corresponding republican acts began even before the collapse of the USSR. Thus, in accordance with the Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia dated October 23, 1990, the people's deputies of the USSR from Latvia could speak on behalf of the Republic of Latvia only with the full powers granted to them by the Supreme Council of Latvia. An analogous provision was adopted on March 13, 1990 by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania. In it it was decided "to the former people's deputies of the USSR, elected by the people of Lithuania, to grant the right to participate in the work of the Supreme Soviet of Lithuania with the right of an advisory voice,"

On December 25, 1991, the President of the USSR M.S.Gorbachev signed a decree on his resignation, and also made a speech on television on this matter. On December 26, 1991, at a meeting of the Chamber of the Union of Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Declaration on the termination of the existence of the USSR as a state and a subject of international law was adopted.

Two weeks before the signing of the Belavezha Accords, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in Houston said: “Now the de facto disintegration of the Soviet Union has taken place, but the Soviet Union exists de jure. I assure you that within the next month you will hear about the legal formalization of the collapse of the Soviet Union. " US President George W. Bush, in his statement on December 25, 1991, after Gorbachev informed him of his resignation by telephone, stressed: “The United States welcomes the historic choice in favor of freedom made by the new states of the Commonwealth. Despite the potential for instability and chaos, these events clearly meet our interests ”(Izvestia newspaper, December 26, 1991).

After the decision to liquidate the USSR, the question aroused particular urgency: did the leaders of the three republics have the right to “dissolve” the entire Soviet Union? Many books and articles have been written, including those by direct participants in the Viskul events. I must say that legal arguments can be given in support of the position of both the legality and the illegality of actions when concluding the Agreement.

But the most serious argument is that the decision of the referendum of March 17, 1991 and its results in our republic testified to the need to obtain the consent of the people for actions to destroy the USSR. As noted, the referendum held in Ukraine on December 1, 1991 gave L. Kravchuk the appropriate authority to sign the Agreement on the formation of the CIS. We have “sanctioned” the decision on the CIS by a referendum of November 24, 1996, when a vote was taken on the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus.