new Ukrainian Constitution of 1996. The status of Sevastopol, due to its strategic importance as the main base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, remained disputed between Ukraine and Russia until 1997 when it was agreed that it should be treated as a "city with special status" within Ukraine. Administrative divisions With the establishment of the autonomous republic in 1921, Crimea was divided into seven okrugs, which in turn were divided into 20 raions: Dzhankoy Yevpatoriya Kerch Sevastopol Simferopol Feodosiya Yalta In November 1923, the okrugs were abolished and 15 raions were created instead, but in 1924, five of these were abolished. On 30 October 1930, the remaining ten raions were reorganized into 16 new ones, and four cities under direct republican control. In 1935, 10 new raions were added and one abolished. In 1937, one more raion was established. The raions had national status as for Crimean Tatars, Russians, Jews, Germans and Ukrainians. By the beginning of World War II, all of these raions had lost their national status. Heads of State Russian SFSR Central Executive Committee 7 November 1921 – August 1924 Yuri Gaven (Janis Daumanis) August 1924 – 28 January 1928 Veli İbraimov 28 January 1928 – 20 February 1931 Memet Qubayev 20 February 1931 – 9 September 1937 İlyas Tarhan (arrested on September 8, 1937) 9 September 1937 – 21 July 1938 Abdulcelâl Menbariyev Supreme Soviet 21 July 1938 – 18 May 1944 Abdulcelâl Menbariyev (expelled from Crimea in 1944 with the rest of Crimean Tatars) 18 May 1944 – 30 June 1945 Nadezhda Sachyova (acting) Ukrainian SSR/Ukraine 22 March 1991 – 9 May 1994 Mykola Bahrov Heads of Government Chairmen of Revkom 16 November 1920 – 20 February 1921 Béla Kun 20 February 1921 – 7 November 1921 Mikhail Poliakov (become the one of NKVD troika) Council of People's Commissars 11 November 1921 – 16 May 1924 Sakhib-Garey Said-Galiyev 16 May 1924 – May 1924 I. Goncharov (acting) May 1924 – 21 March 1926 Osman Deren-Ayerly 21 March 1926 – May 1929 Emir Shugu May 1929 – 16 September 1937 Abduraim Samedinov (arrested September 17, 1937) 1937 – 5 April 1942 Memet Ibraimov 5 April 1942 – 18 May 1944 Ismail Seyfullayev (under de facto control of Nazi Germany during 1 September 1942 to 23 October 1943) 18 May 1944 – 30 June 1945 Aleksandr Kabanov Council of Ministers 22 March 1991 – 20 May