Demythologization of Crimean Issue within Russia—Ukraine Relations' Paradigm (1990—2014)

The article deals with the research from the standpoint of international law of Crimea’s political status after the collapse of the Soviet Union and until its annexation by the Russian Federation in 2014. The author denounces the myth, quite common in Russian scientific legal discourse, related to the Crimean issue in international relations between Russia and Ukraine. System analysis of multitude valid bi- and multilateral international Russia—Ukraine agreements, undoubtedly, demonstrates the absence of any peculiarities or uncertainties relatively to the political status of Crimea after the dissolution of the USSR. The research summarizes that Russia and Ukraine do not reserve any territorial claims in respect of each other, because of the next reasons: 1) both nations repeatedly (since 1990) recognized inviolability of the actual mutual state border between them; 2) parties proclaimed territorial integrity of theirs; 3) both states refrain from use of force or threat of force against each other.