Decree time


Decree time refers to the changes introduced to the Soviet Union time system by a Sovnarkom decree of 16 June 1930. By this decree, all clocks in the Soviet Union were permanently shifted one hour ahead at 00:00 on 21 June 1930 everywhere in the Soviet Union. Applicability of this decree was further extended by two other decrees in 1930 and 1931. The practice was further extended, and its legal basis was amended, in 1980.
It is independent from daylight saving time, which was introduced in the USSR much later, in 1981. In fact, with both time shifts in effect, summer time was two hours ahead of standard time in the USSR.
From 1982 to 1986, decree time was gradually abolished by the Soviet government in 30 oblasts and autonomous Republics of the Russian SFSR. In the late 1980s, it was further abolished in the Baltic republics, Ukraine and Moldavia, followed by the entire territory of the Soviet Union in March 1991.
On 23 October 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR ruled to restore decree time in Russia. It was restored on 19 January 1992 at 02:00, with the following exemptions:
Most of these exemptions are equivalent to abolition of decree time in corresponding territories. At present, all these federal subjects use the exemptions.
In 1992 decree time was restored in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and the former Central Asia republics as well.