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The paper reviews the Ukrainian-Russian relations at the interstate level in 1991-1997 in respect of division of the Black Sea Fleet of the Soviet Union. It is pointed out that the above issue has not been resolved in line with constitutional requirements to the non-alignment of independent Ukraine and its willingness to obtain the neutral status. The party and government moves of the USSR and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1954 in taking a decision on transfer of the Crimean region to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic are chronologically presented. The negative stand of today's Russian politicians and public officers on the transfer of the Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Ukraine in 1954 and their intention to review the territorial integrity of independent Ukraine are emphasized. Political moves of Russia in respect of Ukraine converging to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are described. Joint Ukrainian-Russian legislative acts are listed, where the Russian party guaranteed and committed itself to respect the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine. Russian territorial claims to Ukraine during its independence years as well as topical issues in the Ukrainian-Russian relations are set forth. The Russian stand on protection of its national interests in the Ukrainian territory is pointed out. Attention is drawn to hypocrisy of the agreement "On Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership" between Ukraine and Russia, which was signed in May 1997 after the Black Sea Fleet division had been completed. It is underlined that the presence of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation in Sevastopol is a destabilizing factor of the domestic policy of the state and a credible threat to national security. The Russian foreign policy in the Crimea is shown as a strategically balanced move in respect of Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]