Sergey Khrushchev, son of Nikita Khrushchev, recalls the 1954 transfer of Crimea from Soviet Russian to Soviet Ukraine. At the time it was an uncontroversial decision, but later after the fall of the Soviet Union the loss of Crimea was seen in a negative light by the Russian public.

Meeting minutes from Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet during which the transfer of Crimea from Russia to Ukraine was approved.

Korotchenko and Nizhnik report that the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR adopted a decree approving the transfer of Crimea to the Ukraine.

Decree by the Ukrainian SSR (here abbreviated USSR) approving of the transfer of Crimea to Ukraine.

Minutes recording a decree for the transfer of Crimea from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic (here abbreviated USSR).

Decree announcing the transfer of Crimea from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic (here abbreviated USSR).

KGB handbook describing techniques for identifying, monitoring, and combating anti-Soviet nationalists movements in Ukraine.

Molotov and President Beneš discuss the transfer of control of Trans-Carpathian Ukraine to the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia's need for economic assistance.

First Secretary of the Ukrainian Communist Party, Petro Shelest, reports on the visit of a delegation from Czechslovakia to Chernihiv oblast in northern Ukraine. During the visit, delegation members and Ukrainian officials argue about the Prague Spring and whether the democratization process at work was a positive force or a threat allowing anti-socialist elements an active role in Czechslovak society.

This entry contains brief descriptions of a variety of KGB operations carried out between the early 1960’s and late 1970’s, and provides a sampling of the kinds of operations that were common in that era. Operation “Grom” [“Thunder”] involved fabricating a US State Department memo on Soviet citizens’ inclination towards treason. The memo discussed ways in which the US could exploit this tendency to its advantage. It was published on the front page of the British newspaper “Daily Express.” A pamphlet created by the KGB and attributed to the terrorist organization ‘BAS’ (South Tyrolean Liberation Committee) was introduced as evidence in the trial of BAS leader Norbert Burger in Austria. In July 1976 the KGB residency in Singapore spied on Chess Grandmaster Boris Spassky during his visit to Singapore, and noted in its report that he spent much of his free time on the tennis court. The KGB created and disseminated a letter, ostensibly from nationalist Ukrainian emigrants, protesting the French government’s cooperation with Zionists, and threatening reprisals against French Zionists. The KGB residency in Austria organized operation “Bonga” [“Bigwig”] in which forged letters from Chairman Mao were produced. These letters indicated that Mao himself had essentially organized the opposition to Hua Guofeng’s reforms, and that Hua might lead China to a revisionist course. In March 1977, the newspaper of the Austrian Communist Party printed a translation of a secret Chilean document in which the Chilean secret police asked Gen. Augusto Pinochet for additional funds to carry out undercover operations abroad. Pinochet’s reply contained a harsh rebuke for the request, and a strong admonishment against engaging in clandestine operations abroad. Mitrokhin did not mention where the document came from, nor did he state whether it was authentic or a forgery.