Спорные вопросы передачи Путивльского уезда Курской губернии из территории РСФСР в состав Украинской ССР. По материалам Государственного архива Курской области. 1925-1926 гг.

Abstract

The article studies controversial issues of the process of transfer of the former Putivl uezd of the Kursk gubernia from the territory of the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR. In view of the current geopolitical situation, the relevance of addressing the history of certain regions’ entry into or exit from the state has greatly increased. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that, while it considers the alienation of the former Putivl uezd as a part of the general process of transfer of territories of the Central Black Earth region to the Ukrainian SSR, the historiography does not reflect in full all difficulties and contradictions encountered by local authorities. The paper is to characterize the controversies that arose during the transfer of the former Putivl uezd of the Kursk gubernia to the Ukrainian SSR drawing on documents from the State Archive of Kursk Region. The Ukrainian side intended to annex the Krupets and partly Tetkino volosts in order to eliminate the wedging of economically united territories of one republic into the border of the other. The representatives of the RSFSR rejected these demands, claiming that the Joint Acceptance Commission lacked the authority to discuss this question and citing possible wedging of the Glukhov district of the Ukrainian SSR into the territory of the Rylsk uezd of the Kursk gubernia. They denied economic links of the disputed territories with the Ukrainian SSR. Contradictions in financial and budgetary calculations sprang from demands to discharge the indebtedness of newly acquired institutions at the expense of the Kursk gubernia budget and to cover the budget deficit of the ceded territory, which was an obstacle for acceptance of budget of the RSFSR. There was no support for the attempt of Ukrainian side to obtain the Krupetsk State Sugar Factory because it was part of the RSFSR and for demand to transfer 29 inmates of the Putivl Prison to other penal institutions in the Kursk gubernia, as the latter were overcrowded. The issue of settlers was raised indirectly, when resolving the dispute over granting the Ukrainian SSR resettlement fund and seed loan. The study and analysis of archival documents leads to the conclusion that the Ukrainian SSR wished to reduce the costs of maintaining its new territory, while increasing its resources; the RSFSR wished to ensure the stability of economic activities in the border villages. The transfer of the Putivl uezd to the Kursk gubernia took place without real consideration of popular opinion; parties only addressed it to justify their claims of economic nature.