Tadeusz Dmochowski

The article presents the changes in the population size of the Russian Federation in the vast area of Siberia and the Russian Far East. On the territory of more than 13 mln km2 (within the Ural, Siberian and Far East Federal District) population in this period (in the years 1989–2010) declined from 41.54 million in 1989 to 39.13 million in 2002 and 37.63 million in 2010, i.e. during 21 years decreased by 3.91 million people, i.e. about 9.41%! (the population of Siberian Federal District has decreased by 1.81 million and the Far East District by 1.65 million people). In the same period the population of the Russian Federation decreased by 4.16 million people, of which 93.99% were just the people of Siberia and the Far East.

Statistical data are based on the results of censuses conducted in 1989, the last time in the Soviet Union, and in the years 2002 and 2010 in the Russian Federation.

In the new geopolitical situation emerging during the disintegration of the Soviet Union (1991), China (PRC) quickly recognized the independence of all the fifteen post-Soviet republics, including Russia (now under a new name – the Russian Federation), two days after the end of existence of the Soviet Union created in 1922, and two days after Russia’s recognition by the United States.

PRC also quickly established diplomatic relations first with Russia (December 27, 1991) and then with all of them (in the period from January to June 1992). With the speed of action and strict compliance with the principle of „one China” in the establishment of diplomatic relations, none of the fourteen post-Soviet states has not taken even the attempt to establish political relations with Taiwan, which – also thanks to Beijing’s effective diplomatic action remained in isolation in the former postsoviet political space. The exception was two years period of Latvian-Taiwan Relations (1992–1994), but in this case, Beijing has achieved success, displacing the Taiwanese competitor.

The article presents the revolutionary events in Harbin in 1917. The Author presents the figures of the major antagonists – General Horvath – general manager of the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER, built in the Chinese Manchuria under the contract between the Russo-Chinese Bank and China) and the Bolshevik Martemyan Ryutin who in 1917 attempted to overthrow General Horvath i. e. the legal authorities of the expropriated zone of the CER. This event was opposed by the Allies and the United States and the Chinese authorities, centrally as well as locally, and led to the forcible removal of the Bolsheviks from the zone of CER by the Chinese troops and was the first and the only successful example of foreign intervention against the Bolsheviks and their power.