Every year on January 20, events of 1991 are commemorated, marking the referendum on restoring Crimea’s autonomous status.
However, over time, the significance of this date has taken on new political overtones, particularly after Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014.
Today, January 20 is actively used by the Kremlin as a propaganda tool, necessitating a critical reassessment within the Ukrainian discourse.
The decision, which Russian occupiers now celebrate as “the Day of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea”, was, in reality, the first step toward Moscow’s colonial grip over the territory.
A Controversial Referendum: What Happened on January 20, 1991?
On January 20, 1991, a referendum was held in Crimea, in which the majority of participants supported the restoration of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the Ukrainian SSR.
The term “restoration” refers to Crimea’s previous autonomous status from 1921 to 1945, which was abolished after the 1944 deportation of the Crimean Tatars, turning it into an administrative oblast. In an attempt to regain its former autonomy, the referendum of January 20, 1991, was conducted.
The ballot posed the following question:
"Do you support the restoration of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic as a subject of the SSR and a participant in the Union Treaty?"
More than 93% of participants voted in favor, but the referendum had several critical flaws.
First, it was held while the Soviet Union still existed, meaning it did not take into account Ukraine’s impending independence.
At the time, Ukraine was already on the path toward sovereignty, but it had not yet declared independence.
The central authorities of the Ukrainian SSR compromised by allowing autonomy to prevent Crimean communists from obstructing Ukraine’s statehood aspirations.
Second, the Crimean Tatar people, who had suffered deportation in 1944, had not yet fully returned to their homeland and boycotted the referendum.
The Soviet establishment used the restoration of autonomy as a tool to maintain control over the peninsula, disregarding the interests of its indigenous population. The real objective behind this referendum was to keep Crimea under Russian influence in case of the Soviet Union’s dissolution.
Historian Serhiy Hromenko argues that "celebrating January 20 as the Day of the ARC today is akin to celebrating the creation of the Ukrainian SSR as the founding day of Ukraine."
A Call for Reevaluation
Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has also called for reconsidering January 20 as “ARC Day.”
Officials stress that this date is actively used by the occupation authorities to spread propaganda and distort history. Instead, it is proposed shifting the focus to commemorating the Defenders of Donetsk Airport, whose bravery became a symbol of resistance against Russian aggression.
Alternative Commemorative Dates for Crimea
For Crimea, a more significant date is February 26 – the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea.
On this day in 2014, over 15,000 Crimeans gathered in Simferopol’s central square, waving Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar flags, protesting against Russia’s attempt to annex the peninsula.
It was one of the largest demonstrations in support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. In 2020, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially recognized February 26 as the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol.
Russia attempted to fabricate the illusion that Crimeans supported annexation, but reality proved otherwise: Crimea’s residents openly resisted Moscow’s actions and continue their struggle to this day.
Conclusion
Given the historical context, marking January 20 as the "Day of the ARC" requires serious reevaluation.
This date was a product of political compromise in the early 1990s, and today, it serves as a propaganda tool for Russia’s occupation narrative.
Emphasizing alternative dates, such as February 26 – the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea, allows for a more accurate historical narrative—one that affirms Ukraine’s rightful claim to the peninsula.
