The phrase ‘Crimea is ours’ has become a constant on the political agenda, emotionally charged and vehement. Historian Asylbek Bisenbayev suggests taking a different perspective on this phrase.

Bisenbayev has published excerpts from historical documents that completely disrupt the politicized narrative of ‘Crimea is ours.’ It turns out that those who shout this phrase from television screens may not be the ones who have the right to claim it.

Here is what the historian published verbatim:

EXTRACT from Protocol No. 31, Item 4 of the Meeting of the Bureau of the Crimean Regional Committee of the VKP(b) September 13, 1948

On the Facts of the Return of Special Resettlers to Crimea

Based on the available materials at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Crimea and the conducted investigation, the facts of the return of special resettlers of Tatar, Greek, Armenian, Bulgarian, and other nationalities to Crimea have been established.

From 1944 to the present, 633 people have been detained, of whom 35 have been brought to trial, and 598 have been sent to places of special resettlement.

In addition, by the decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, more than 1,000 people, including Tatars, Greeks, Armenians, Bulgarians, and other nationalities, have been released from special resettlement, 581 of them with the right to reside in Crimea.

The Bureau of the Regional Committee of the VKP(b) believes that this situation has arisen due to the weakening of the passport regime and the direct violation of the law on special resettlers. For the same reason, there were cases in Simferopol and Sevastopol where returning special resettlers, with the help of ships, reclaimed their homes, sold them, and evicted the people living in these houses.

The Bureau of the Regional Committee of the VKP(b) resolves:

1. Instruct the Chief of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Crimean Region, Comrade Kalinin, and the Chief of the Police Department, Comrade Makhalov, to take all necessary measures to prevent such instances of special resettlers returning. Evict the returning special resettlers.
2. Request the Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR, Comrade Kruglov, to cease granting permissions for special resettlers to return to Crimea.

Secretary of the Crimean Regional Committee of the VKP(b)
N. Solovyov»