A referendum on sovereignty was held in the Crimean Oblast of the Ukrainian SSR on 20 January 1991, two months before the 1991 All-Union referendum. Voters were asked whether they wanted to re-establish the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, which had been abolished in 1945. The proposal was approved by 94% of voters.
Background
Ballot.
The Crimean ASSR was originally created in 1921, as part of the Russian SFSR in the Soviet Union. Crimea was invaded by Nazi Germany during World War II, and when the region was reclaimed by the USSR in 1944, the Crimean Tatars, Armenians, Bulgarians and Greeks were deported to Central Asia under the pretext of alleged collaboration with the German occupiers. The ASSR was dissolved in 1945 and Crimea became an oblast of the Russian SSR. On 5 February 1954, it was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR. During the collapse of the Soviet Union at the start of the 1990s, the Ukrainian SSR declared itself sovereign on 16 July 1990.
Results
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| For | 1,343,825 | 94.30 |
| Against | 81,254 | 5.70 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 15,910 | – |
| Total | 1,441,019 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 1,770,841 | 81.37 |
| Source: KIA News | ||
Aftermath
Following the referendum, the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR passed the law “On Restoration of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialistic Republic as part of USSR” on 12 February 1991, restoring Crimea’s autonomous status as independent from the Ukrainian SSR. In September 1991, the Crimean parliament declared the territory to be a sovereign constituent part of Ukraine. However, the parliament did not have the authority to make this decision, because according to USSR law, “On the procedure for resolving issues related to the withdrawal of a union republic from the USSR” from (3 April 1990) this issue could only be resolved via a referendum.