Russia gave back Homel and Rechysta Districts to Belarus 90 years ago
Russia gave back Homel and Rechytsa Districts to Belarus 90 years ago (649 thousand people lived there at that time). The historic event is called ‘the second enlargement of the BSSR’.
Our country was divided as a result of the Peace of Riga in 1921. West Belarus became part of Poland and East Belarus became part of the RSFSR. BSSR consisted of only six districts – parts of Minsk, Barysau, Babruisk, Ihumensk, Mazyr and Slutsk Districts. The first ‘enlargement’ was carried out in 1924 when Russia gave back large eastern Belarusian territories to the BSSR. Homel and Rechytsa were given back only two years later. Belarusian communists had been pressing Moscow for it.
