Independence movements

Sakha (Yakutia)

Саха Өрөспүүбүлүкэтэ

Covers Sakha's constitutional relationship with Russia since 1990 and its evolving control over its natural resource wealth, particularly the Alrosa diamond company. It does not attempt a general political or cultural history of Sakha (Yakutia) or the Sakha (Yakut) people.

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What is this case about?

The Yakut-Sakha authorities declared state sovereignty on 27 September 1990, renaming the republic Sakha (Yakutia).[1] On 4 April 1992, Sakha adopted a Constitution declaring itself a sovereign state within the Russian Federation, and in March 1992 it signed the Russian Federation Treaty and a property-division agreement giving the Sakha government control over roughly 95% of state-owned property in its territory, including the diamond, gold and coal industries.[2][3][4] As with other Russian republics, this sovereignty language was removed from Sakha's constitution following a June 2009 Russian Constitutional Court ruling.[5] Sakha's control over its most valuable resource asset, the diamond company Alrosa, was further diluted by the company's October 2013 initial public offering, after which the Republic held about 25% of its equity against the Federation's roughly 44%.[6]

At a glance

  • Sakha declared sovereignty on 27 September 1990, renaming itself from the Yakut ASSR.[1]
  • A 1992 constitution and Federation Treaty gave Sakha control over roughly 95% of state-owned property, including diamonds, gold and coal.[2][4]
  • A 2009 Russian Constitutional Court ruling removed "sovereignty" language from Sakha's constitution, as with ten other republics.[5]
  • The 2013 Alrosa IPO reduced Sakha's stake in its former diamond monopoly to about 25%, against the federal government's roughly 44%.[6]

Current position

Status verified as of

Sakha (Yakutia) is an ordinary republic of the Russian Federation. Its 1990-1992 sovereignty declarations were effectively rescinded by a 2009 Constitutional Court ruling, and its control over Alrosa, the diamond company it once largely owned, was reduced to roughly a quarter of its equity by the company's 2013 IPO.[5][6]

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History

History of Sakha's sovereignty and resource-control movement

From the 1990 sovereignty declaration and 1992 constitution/Federation Treaty, through the 2009 removal of sovereignty language, to the 2013 Alrosa IPO.

260 words · 2 min read

Key dates

Full timeline

· Declaration

Sakha Declaration of State Sovereignty, 1990

The Yakut ASSR declared sovereignty and renamed itself the Sakha Republic.

Significance here: The founding act of Sakha's post-Soviet sovereignty movement and renaming.

· Constitutional change

Sakha Constitution and Federation Treaty, 1992

Sakha adopted a sovereignty-declaring constitution and negotiated broad control over its natural resource wealth, including diamonds, gold and coal.

Significance here: The legal high point of Sakha's special status, granting it control over the bulk of state-owned property in its territory.

· Other

Alrosa initial public offering, 2013

The diamond company originally controlled by the Sakha government went public, diluting Sakha's ownership stake below a quarter.

Significance here: Marked the long-term shift of control over Sakha's principal resource wealth from republican to more diffuse and federally weighted ownership.

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

  1. 1.

    Claim: On 27 September 1990, the Yakut-Sakha authorities adopted a Declaration of State Sovereignty, and the republic's name was changed to the Sakha Republic (Yakutia).

    • Presidential Library of Russia, The Sakha (Yakutia) Republic Constitution adopted (Presidential Library (prlib.ru)) link, Declaration section. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
  2. 2.

    Claim: On 4 April 1992, an extraordinary session of the Supreme Council of the Sakha Republic adopted a new Constitution declaring the republic a sovereign state within the Russian Federation.

    • Presidential Library of Russia, The Sakha (Yakutia) Republic Constitution adopted (Presidential Library (prlib.ru)) link, Constitution section. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
  3. 3.

    Claim: In March 1992, Sakha was among the signatories of the Russian Federation Treaty, under which autonomous regions gained increased rights, including greater control over mineral resources.

    • Yakutia: Autonomy and Diamonds (Jamestown Foundation) link, Federation Treaty section. Source record
  4. 4.

    Claim: Sakha also concluded a property-division agreement with the Russian Federation providing that roughly 95% of state-owned property in the republic's territory, including the diamond, gold and coal industries and power generation, would be controlled by the Sakha government.

    • Yakutia: Autonomy and Diamonds (Jamestown Foundation) link, Property-division section. Source record
  5. 5.

    Claim: In June 2009, the Russian Constitutional Court ordered eleven ethnic republics, including Sakha, to remove references to "sovereignty" from their constitutions; Sakha passed an amendment stating that federal subjects are not eligible to have sovereignty since the federation as a whole holds it.

    • Russian Region Removes 'Sovereignty' From Constitution (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 2009) link, article text. Source record
  6. 6.

    Claim: On 28 October 2013, Alrosa, the diamond company originally controlled by the Sakha government under the 1992 property agreement, carried out an initial public offering in which the Russian Federation and the Republic of Sakha each sold shares, leaving the Federation with about 43.9% and Sakha with about 25.0% of the company's equity.

Source note

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