861.014/289: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:23 p.m.]
2211. Press for June 16 publishes a Tass report of a meeting of the “Crimean Oblast Committee” of the party. Red Fleet for June 6 published a letter to Stalin signed by the Secretary of the Crimean Oblast Committee, Tyulyaev, reporting donations from the Oblast to the Red Army. In the letter, and in Stalin’s reply, the expression “Soviet Crimea” was used.
It would appear that the Crimean autonomous republic of the RSFSR has been abolished. Unofficial sources state that this action [Page 887] was taken about 2 months ago. While the Embassy is not in possession of sufficient information to interpret the significance of this development, it is probable that it reflects failure of the population fully to support the Soviet Government during the German occupation. A Soviet employee of the Embassy states that an acquaintance in the Red Army mentioned some months ago that the autonomous republic would be abolished because the Tartar element had not “behaved” properly. Correspondents returning from Sevastopol reported that repressive measures were being taken against the Tartars for alleged collaboration with the Germans, and similar reports have been received from other sources.87
- The apparent suppression at about this same period for treasonable activity of the Kalmyk Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the northern Caucasus had already been reported.↩