1940-1944 insurgency in Chechnya

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1940-1944 Chechnya insurgency
Part of World War II
Date February 1940 - February 23, 1944
Location Chechen-Ingush ASSR, Soviet Union
Result Soviet victory, Deportation
Belligerents
Chechen, Ingush and other mountaineer rebels
Flag of Nazi Germany German paratroopers		 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (Red Army, NKVD)
Commanders
Khasan Israilov †
Mairbek Sheripov		 Unknown
Strength
5,000 (November 1941)
6,540-18,000 (February 1943)[1]
Several dozen Germans [2][3]
 110,000 (Operation Lentil)
Casualties and losses
At least 4,368 killed (combatants)[2] 12,000 killed[3]

1940-1944 Chechnya insurgency was a revolt against the Soviet authorities in the mountainous Chechnya.

Contents

[edit] Summary

Beginning as early as in June 1941 under Khasan Israilov, it peaked in 1942 during the German invasion of North Caucasus and ended in the beginning of 1944 with the deportation of the Chechens and Ingush people.

However, the resistance in the mountains lasted until autumn 1947 and the last rebel was killed only in 1976 at the age of 70. During the insurgency rebels had no control over the plains of Chechnya and its capital Grozny.

[edit] Insurgency

The first stage of the insurgency was inspired by Finland's success in the Winter War. In February 1940 Israilov's rebel army took Galanchozh, Sayasan, Chaberloi and a part of Shatoysky District. The rebel government was established in Galanchozh.[3]

Mairbek Sheripov declared war on the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941.[2] In February 1942 his group rebelled in Shatoi, Khimokhk and tried to take Itum-Kale. They united with Israilov's army relying on the expected arrival of the German Wehrmacht. In neighbouring Dagestan rebels also took the neighbourhoods of Novolakskaya and Dylym.

In some areas up to 80% of men were involved in the insurrection. It is known that the Soviet Union used bombers against the rebels, causing losses primarily to the civilian population.[3]

Abwehr's Nordkaukasische Sonderkommando Schamil landed in several points in Chechnya, coordinating strikes with rebels. On 25 September 1942 German paratroopers landed in Dachu-Borzoi and Duba-Yurt and took the Grozny petroleum refinery, to prevent its destruction by the Red Army in case of its retreat. Then they united with the rebels, trying to hold the refinery before the German 1st Tank Army arrived. However, on 25-27 September the German tank army was defeated and the saboteurs were forced to retreat.

The insurrection provoked many Chechen and Ingush soldiers to desert. Some sources claim that total number of deserted mountaineer soldiers reached 62,750, exceeding the number of mountaineer fighters in the Red Army.[2]

[edit] Deportation

Main article: Operation Lentil

After the German retreat from the Caucasus the Chechens and Ingush were found collectively guilty of collaborationism and forcibly resettled to Kazakhstan en masse, resulting in a large number of deaths among the deportees. During this operation the Chechens showed a little resistance. In the mountainous part some war crimes, such as Khaibakh massacre had occurred.

However, some rebel groups stayed in the mountains, continuing the resistance. Rebel groups were also formed in Kazakhstan.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ (Russian) Операция "Чечевица"
  2. ^ a b c d e (Russian) Эдуард Абрамян. Кавказцы в Абвере. М. "Яуза", 2006
  3. ^ a b c d (Russian) Александр УРАЛОВ (А. АВТОРХАНОВ). Убийство чечено-ингушского народа. Народоубийство в СССР

[edit] External links