Preserving the territorial integrity of states under the self-determination of peoples: Problems and ways to resolve them

Subject. This article considers the territorial integrity of a state as a key category of international law. Objectives. The article aims to analyze the possibilities related to the realization of the people's right to self-determination within the framework of international law. Methods. For the study, I used the general scientific research methods. Results. Based on the analysis of cases of violations and preservation of the recognized territory of sovereign states, as well as external and internal self-determination of peoples, the article finds that the growing awareness of ethnic, religious, and political identity has made the right to self-determination of peoples an important topic of scientific and political discussions. Conclusions. The right to secede from the state should be legalized as a radical measure in cases of serious human rights violations and under a limited set of special conditions.