The Russian president's adviser Vladimir Medinsky, who led Moscow's delegation at the negotiations in Istanbul, gave his explanation of the logic behind the transfer of Crimea to Ukraine in 1954.
He stated that in early 1954 the 300th anniversary of the Pereyaslav Rada was celebrated.
This is the name of the assembly of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, led by the hetman Bogdan Khmelnytsky, which took place on January 8 (18), 1654 in Pereyaslav, hence the name.
In March of the same year, a treaty was signed between Khmelnytsky and Tsar Alexei Romanov known as the March Articles. In this treaty, the Cossack Hetmanate (basically present-day Ukraine) became a vassal of the Russian Empire, initially retaining partial internal autonomy.
In addition, the advisor to the Russian president pointed out that in December 1953, the Soviet statesman and party figure Lavrenty Beria was shot.
„At that time, Khrushchev was hanging by a thread, he needed every vote, especially from the Ukrainian leaders, in the Central Committee of the CPSU. All this was explained by the fact that the peninsula receives water from Ukraine, some historical ties, a single national economic complex – "This is all nonsense," Medinsky told the TV channel "Soloviev.Live." The presidential adviser emphasized that the 300th anniversary of the Pereyaslavl Rada was a suitable occasion for the transfer of Crimea. "The reason is votes, personal power," Medinsky noted, adding that not only Khrushchev, but also others from the central government were interested in such an outcome.