World War II

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A new Russian history text book has spurred controversy for its depiction of victims of Stalinist deportations. Image via Dron.

Chechen and Ingush Deportations

Russia amends schoolbooks labelling victims of Stalinist deportations ‘Nazi collaborators’

by Luiza Mchedlishvili

•3 min read

Russia’s Ministry of Education has made changes to a history textbook that referred to North Caucasian nations that were deported from their homes during World War II as ‘Nazi collaborators’. The textbook spurred controversy in the North Caucasus, where several nations were deported en masse to Siberia and Central Asia during World War II for allegedly collaborating with the invading Nazi Germany. These included the Karachays, the Balkars, the Ingush, and the Chechens in the North Caucasus,

Vardanush Zakaryan and her husband Andre Andreyan. Photo: Anahit Harutyunyan/OC Media.

Armenia

Voice | ‘I went to war at 17’

by Anahit Harutyunyan

•5 min read

In 1941, aged just 17, Vardanush Zakaryan was called to serve in the Soviet Army — at the height of WWII. Shortly thereafter, her husband was also sent to the front. For the next four years, the two saw each other infrequently, but their love never died. ‘I went through a lot. I lost my dad when I was a child, so I moved from Tiflis, where I was born and lived, to Baku, where I began to live with my mom and stepfather. I was 12 when my mother died. So I grew up an orphan. One parent is buried

Participants of a demonstration on 23 February in the Novolaksky District. Photo: r_otuzbiev/Instagram

Aukh District

The deported Chechens of Daghestan still unable to return to their homes

by Zhalavdi Geriyev

•4 min read

Seventy-seven years after the deportation of the entire Chechen and Ingush nations to Central Asia, Chechen returnees from a small corner of Daghestan still dream of returning to their homes. Every year on 23 February, Chechens and Ingush people mark the tragic anniversary of the Soviet deportations of 1944 on the orders of Stalin — a genocidal event that cost the lives of up to one-third of their total population. In recent years, the largest events to commemorate the day have been held not

Azerbaijan

Elderly in Azerbaijan: venerated yet lonely

by Volodymyr Soboliev

•7 min read

Despite the veneer of patriarchy and the respect for the elderly, the life of old people in Azerbaijan is hard, especially when they are lonely. With an average pension of $100, they can only hope for help from shelters, kind neighbours, and volunteers. Global trends Azerbaijanis consider themselves a patriarchal country with all the attributes of one, including respect for the elderly and care for the retired. But reality is sometimes quite different from the announced tradition. T

Abkhazia

Caucasus marks Victory Day

by OC Media

•4 min read

Victory Day on 9 May, which commemorates ‘the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War’ was widely marked across the whole Caucasus region with public gatherings, wreath-laying, and speeches. In most places, the commemorations included the Immortal Regiment, which is a public march with people holding pictures of war veterans. The term Great Patriotic War refers to the period of 1941–1945 when the Soviet Union fought against Nazi Germany. The term is prevalent throughout

Chechen and Ingush Deportations

After 73 years, the memory of Stalin’s deportation of Chechens and Ingush still haunts the survivors

by Volodymyr Soboliev

•7 min read

The twenty-third of February 2017 marks 73 years since the mass deportation of Chechens and Ingush from their homelands to Central Asia. Stalin’s Soviet Union ordered the deportation in the winter of 1944, following which, the Chechen–Ingush Oblast was fully abolished. Every year, Chechens ask why it had to happen. The question has remained unanswered. ‘Operation Lentil’ was the name given to the secret plan to deport the Vainakh peoples (Chechens and Ingush) en masse. To implement it, u

Chechen and Ingush Deportations

Ingushetia set to commemorate anniversary of 1944 deportations

by OC Media

•2 min read

The 73rd anniversary of the deportation of the Vainakh (Chechen and Ingush) peoples on 23 February will be marked by more than 60 events and activities, the Ingush government has declared. The activities include round tables, exhibitions, and children’s drawing contests. The main event will be held at the memorial building to the victims of Stalin’s repressions, not far from the Ingush city of Nazran. A rally dedicated to the deportation of the Ingush people in 1944 will be held there, w