Russian lawmakers have set forth a draft bill to the State Duma aimed at rewriting a chapter of history by nullifying the Soviet decision in 1954 to transfer Crimea from Russia to Ukraine. This move seeks to establish a legal basis for Russia's claim over Crimea, which it annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

The draft bill, submitted by legislators from both chambers of Russia's parliament, challenges the legitimacy of the 1954 transfer, labeling it as arbitrary and illegal due to the absence of a referendum and the purported lack of authority for Soviet authorities to transfer territory between constituent republics without consent.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized the 1954 handover of Crimea by then-Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, characterizing it as a violation of legal norms prevailing at the time. While Crimea residents initially voted for independence alongside the rest of Ukraine during the Soviet Union's dissolution, Russia's military intervention in 2014 culminated in the annexation of the peninsula following a contentious referendum denounced as illegal by Ukraine and Western nations.

Crimea has since served as a focal point for geopolitical tensions, with Russia utilizing the region as a strategic foothold for its incursion into Ukraine in 2022. Subsequent to the annexation of Crimea, Russia has expanded its occupation to include four additional Ukrainian provinces. In response, Ukraine has vowed to reclaim all territories currently under Russian control, perpetuating the ongoing conflict between the two nations. 

The proposed bill signifies Russia's latest attempt to solidify its claim over Crimea amidst ongoing international scrutiny and condemnation over its actions in the region.