THE NATIONAL POLICY OF THE KREMLIN IN THE CAUCASUS IN 1921-1944 (ACCORDING TO KONSTANTIN KANDELAKI’S REPORT)
Keywords:
The national policy of Russia in the Caucasus, 1921-1944, accomplishments of Konstantine KandelakiAbstract
In 1921, Soviet Russia invaded Georgia. The absolute majority of the members of the Democratic Republic of Georgia’s Government and the Constituent Assembly (Parliament) left the country and emigrated. Among them was Mr. Konstantine (Kotsia) Kandelaki, a member of the Constituent Assembly, the Minister of Finance and Trade-Industry. In exile, Konstantine Kandelaki published several remarkable works on economic issues. His unpublished work titled ’Kremlin’s National Policy in the Caucasus,’ preserved in the National Archives of Georgia, was presented in the form of a report in one of the institutions in Europe. In this work, the author delves into all the corrupt aspects of Soviet Russia’s national policy in the Caucasus, which placed the nations of the Caucasus in a disastrous situation. The Russification process was executed through unprecedented methods. In November and December 1943 and February 1944, nearly one million people were killed in the Karachay and the Balkarian Autonomous Oblasts, as well as the Checheno-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Simultaneously, the ethnic Russian population was rapidly relocated to these territories. This strategy mirrored the historical precedent set by Tsarist Russia, which, in 1864, deported the Cherkess from the Caucasus and replaced them with Russian settlers. The political leadership of the Soviet Union was guided by this historical context in their actions. Clearly, the Caucasus held significant strategic importance for Soviet authorities in advancing their interests in Asia. According to K. Kandelaki, Kremlin politics is coercive. The peoples of the Caucasus deserve freedom, and once they are free, they will find common ground for unrestricted collaboration with peace-valuing countries.