Disagreements between Soviet Republics during Formation of USSR in Documents of RSFSR Plenipotentiary Representation in Warsaw
https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2026-15-6-481-503
Abstract
The article addresses the insufficiently studied issue of disagreements between Soviet republics regarding key matters of jurisdictional delimitation during the formation of the USSR in 1921–1923. The research aims to identify such disagreements and their sources of origin, as well as to examine their impact on the operations of the RSFSR Plenipotentiary Representation (Polpredstvo) in Warsaw. The novelty of the study lies in its use of archival materials from the plenipotentiary mission held at the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation alongside previously published sources. The work is grounded in a comparative-historical analysis. It has been established that the process of unifying formally independent Soviet republics into a single state was accompanied by numerous disputes and discussions among Bolsheviks concerning the desired degree of integration and the powers of the republics across various spheres. It is noted that although the activities of the RSFSR Plenipotentiary Representation in Warsaw were primarily associated with resolving contentious issues involving the Ukrainian SSR and the Byelorussian SSR, the correspondence between the representation and Moscow also reflected divergences between the center and the Soviet republics of Transcaucasia.
About the Author
S. A. Sklyarov
Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Sergey A. Sklyarov - PhD in History, Associate Professor.
Moscow
References
1. Baranovsky, A. V. (2018). Vitebsk province between the BSSR and the RSFSR. In: Actual problems of international relations and Diplomacy (1918 — the beginning of the XXI century): proceedings of the III International Scientific Conference. Vitebsk: Masherov Moscow State University. 160—164. ISBN 978-985-517-662-7. (In Bel.).
2. Baranovsky, A. V. (2019). Domestic historiography of the formation of the Northeastern administrative border of the BSSR in 1919—1924. In: Educational notes of the Masherov Moscow State University: collection of scientific papers, 30. Vitebsk: Masherov Moscow State University. 13—18. (In Bel.).
3. Boechko, V. D. (1991). Cordony of Ukraine: history and problems of formation (1917—1940 pp. Ukrainian historical magazine, 1: 56—77. (In Ukr.).
4. Boechko, V., Ganzha, O., Zakharchuk, B. (1994). Cordony of Ukraine: a historical retrospective of the present state. Kyiv: Osnovy Publ. 125—155. (In Ukr.).
5. Borisenok, E. Y. (2005). Ukraine and Russia: the dispute over borders in the 1920s. In: Regions and borders of Ukraine in historical retrospect. Moscow: Indrik Publ. 205—237. (In Russ.).
6. Borovskaya, O. N. (2023). Economic relations between the BSSR and the Polish Republic 1921—1925. Metamorphoses of history, 7: P. 5. DOI: 10.37490/S230861810024318-9. (In Russ.).
7. Doroshko, M. (2003). Diplomacy of the Slavic Ukraine in 1917—1923.: the main religious individuals. In: Ukraine is diplomatic, 8. Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine. 127—145. (In Ukr.).
8. Dzhedzhula, A. O. (1965). From the history of Ukrainian-Polish economic relations (1920—1922). Soviet-Polish relations in 1919—1920. In: Questions of modern and modern history, 2. Kyiv: Kiev University Press. 25—40. (In Ukr.).
9. Efimenko, G. (2012). The status of the USRR and its related names from the RSFSR: dovgiy 1920 rik. Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine. 367 p. (In Ukr.).
10. Efimenko, G., Kulchytsky, S. (2008). Cordony and the territory of Ukraine in the XX century. In: Regional history of Ukraine, 2. Kiev: Institute of History of Ukraine. 146—148. (In Ukr.).
11. Gatagova, L. S. (2022). The republics of the South Caucasus on the way to a “socialist federation” (1917—1922). In: Bulletin of the Moscow State University. Episode 25: International
12. Relations and World Politics, 1. Moscow: Moscow State University. 195—226. DOI: 10.48015/2076-7404-2022-14-3-195-226. (In Russ.).
13. Gissem, O. V. (2008). Diplomatic relations between Poland and the USSR 1921—1923 pp. Author’s abstract of PhD Diss. Kiev. 194 p.
14. Hasanli, D. (2011). The question of Nagorno-Karabakh at the Caucasian Bureau of the Central Committee of the Russian Communist Party (b) in 1920—1923. In: Caucasus and Globalization, 5 (2). Baku: Caucasian Center for Strategic Studies. 139—170. (In Russ.).
15. Khomich, S. (2000). The main stages of the formation of the territory of the BSSR (1918—1926). In:
16. Belarusian historical review, 7 (2). Minsk: Science and Technology. 239 p. (In Bel.).
17. Korotkova, D. (2018). “Enlargement of the BSSR” in 1923—1924: the factor of Soviet influence in Poland. Slavic Studies, 5: 48—59. DOI: 10.31857/S0869544X0000850-8. (In Russ.).
18. Krutalevich, V. A., Juho, I. A. (2000). History of the state and law of Belarus (1917—1945). Minsk: Belorusskaya nauka Publ. 238 p. (In Bel.).
19. Kulichenko, M. I. (1973). On the establishment of state relations between the peoples of the Soviet country in 1917—1919. In: Problems of state building in the early years of Soviet power. Leningrad: Nauka Publ. 96—118. (In Russ.).
20. Kupchik, O. (2010). The constitutional process of 1922—1923 pp.: the struggle for supremacy in the field of foreign policy between the USRR and the RSFSR (historical and legal aspect). Bulletin of the Kiev National University. Jewish sciences, 82: 65—69. (In Ukr.).
21. Kupchik, O. (2015). Democratic powers and radiant republics of the “post-Imperial expanse” in the United States of America (1919—1923). European University, 2: 200—215. (In Ukr.).
22. Kupchik, O. R. (2011). Organizationno-pravovyi ambush the functionaries of the organization of foreign policy in the USSR (1922—1924). Bulletin of the Academy of Law of Ukraine, 1 (20): 168—174. (In Ukr.).
23. Ładoś, A. (1937). Wasilewski w rokowaniach ryskich. Niepodległość, XVI / 1 (42): 230—250. (In Pol.). Matyash, I. B. (2016). The Ukrainian consular service 1917—1923 as a state institution: formation, function, personnel. Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine. 312—316. ISBN 978-966-02-7918-6. (In Ukr.).
24. Mustafayeva, S. (2010). Soviet Russia and the formation of borders between the states of the Caucasus (on the example of Azerbaijan and Armenia). In: Caucasus and globalization, 4 (1—2). Baku: Caucasian Center. 230—240. (In Russ.).
25. Mustafa-zadeh, R. S. (2006). Two Republics. Azerbaijani-Russian relations in 1918-1922. Moscow: Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 159—291. ISBN 5-87902097-5. (In Russ.).
26. Niftaliev, I. V. (2009). Azerbaijan SSR in the expansionist plans of the Armenians (the 20s of the XX century). Baku: Elm. 20—72. (In Russ.).
27. Porechin, B. (1922). The Soviet republics in their relations. Minsk: State Publishing House of Belarus. 33—36. (In Bel.).
28. Raichenok, A. A. (2018). Problems of the Belarusian statehood on the eve and in the first years of the formation of the USSR. Proceedings of the BSTU. Episode 6: History, philosophy, 2 (215): 36—39. (In Russ.).
29. Raichenok, A. A. (2019). Problems of the Belarusian statehood in the conditions of the Soviet-Polish war of 1919—1921. Is the work of BSTU. Episode 6: History, philosophy, 1 (221): 43—47. (In Russ.).
30. Rubles, O., Gorburov, K. (2017). View of the world before the “Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact”: before the history of diplomatic relations between the Ukrainian SSR and the Other Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In: Ukrainian-Polish relations. New dob. Lviv: NAS of Ukraine. 177—221. (In Ukr.).
Review
For citations:
Sklyarov S.A. Disagreements between Soviet Republics during Formation of USSR in Documents of RSFSR Plenipotentiary Representation in Warsaw. Nauchnyi dialog. 2026;15(6):481-503. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2026-15-6-481-503
Views:
5
JATS XML
Email this article 