Thread by @VolodyaTretyak

Thread #Ingushetia. #RussiaDecolonized
Today, we will explore the potential for the independence of Ingushetia.

The Ingush people are a nation historically residing in North Caucasus, sharing cultural similarities with the Chechens, including their religion and linguistically related languages. Both groups are considered descendants of the Vainakh nation. /1

The self-name of the Ingush people is Ghalghaï, derived from the word "tower," which Ingushetia is famous for. /2

The Caucasus mountains have always been difficult to traverse, with very few passes, and one of them is the Darial Gorge, centrally located and where the Ingush people originated. /3

This strategic location led the Ingush people to suffer through many wars and conflicts, which still impact the current state of the republic. /4

In the middle ages, there was an Alanian state in the region, which was destroyed by the Mongol-Tatar conquest in the 13th century. This forced many Caucasian nations to migrate higher into the mountains, shaping the modern Caucasus nations. /5

Over time, they started returning to the lowlands once the Mongol-Tatars left the area.
The Ingush people resided in administrative and territorial units defined by associations of several villages. /6

Russia was keenly interested in controlling the Darial Pass and, by the end of the 18th century, some Ingush communities became part of the Russian Empire. /7

In 1784, a fortress was established in the Ingush village of Vladikavkaz, located in front of the Darial Pass. Though it is now one of the biggest cities in the area, Vladikavkaz is no longer a part of Ingushetia. /8

In 1811, Moritz von Engelhardt, a Russian envoy of German origin, visited Ingushetia on behalf of the Tsar, attempting to convince the Ingush people to join Russia, but they defiantly answered, "Above my hat are only the stars." /9

Many Ingush tribes participated in the Caucasian War (1810-1860) to fight against Russian conquest, while some fought on the Russian side.

After losing the war, the Terek Oblast was established, including the Ingush Okrug. /10

During the Russian civil war, the Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus (MRNC) was established after a congress involving various peoples such as Circassians, Ingush, Dagestanis and more. However, the state was eventually captured by Soviet Russian forces in 1921. /11

In 1924, an Ingush Autonomous Oblast was created but later merged with Chechen AO. In 1936, it was elevated to an Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR). /12

During World War II, the region was partly occupied by Axis forces, and shortly after their defeat, the Soviet leaders ordered the deportation of both Chechen and Ingush people. The Chechen-Ingush ASSR was divided between nearby administrative divisions. /13

The consequences of this eviction were catastrophic, leading to a quarter or one-third of the deported people dying, qualifying as a genocide. /14

Only in 1957, under Nikita Khrushchev's destalinization policies, were the Chechen and Ingush nations allowed to return home, but it was challenging as the region was already populated with other nations and occupied private properties. /15

The reestablished republic was in a different shape, and Ingushetia suffered in particular, as its eastern parts remained part of North Ossetia, including access to the Darial pass. /16

Deportation greatly impacted the region's development throughout the 20th century, leading to high unemployment rates and poverty, making it one of the poorest republics in the USSR. /17

Starting from the 1970s, the Ingush people organized movements to reclaim their important areas.

In 1991, the ASSR was divided as each nation pursued its own path. Chechen people went for independence, while Ingush concentrated on reclaiming territories taken from them. /18

The North Ossetian republic resisted giving back territories to Ingushetia, leading to armed conflicts between Ossetians and Ingush. 13 Ingush villages were destroyed, resulting in some of the Ingush population leaving the claimed area. /19

As of today, there is still no final solution, with ongoing agreements and negotiations. The Ingush people continue to refer to the law "On the Rehabilitation of Repressed Peoples" signed in 1991. /20

Beyond territorial sufferings in 20th century, recent events in 2018 saw Ingushetia losing significant territories in a disputed agreement signed between Kadyrov and Yevkerov (head of Ingushetia at that time), leading to protests in Ingushetia. /21

The agreement claimed to be an equal exchange of non-residential territories, but the territories received by Chechnya were 25 times bigger. The red line on the map shows the new border. /22

GEOGRAPHY

Ingushetia is situated in the heart of the Northern Caucasus, with mountains to the south and plains to the north. It shares a border with Georgia, but the road to Georgia passes through the nearby Northern Ossetia. /23

Exluding Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Ingushetia is the smallest federal subject in Russia in terms of area, covering 3,628 square km. /24

The North Caucasus region is relatively well-connected in terms of railways, providing Ingushetia with access to the railway system as well. /25

ECONOMY

Ingushetia is known for its economic challenges, being ranked at the very last place, 80th, in terms of GDP per capita among Russian regions. /26

The main sources of economic development in the region are agriculture and oil production. However, the reasons for its underdevelopment are clearly visible in the historical context discussed earlier. /27

POPULATION

Ingushetia is a mononational republic, with 96% of its residents being Ingush. There is a significant fertility rate, one of the highest in Russia overall. /28

The main language of communication in the region is Ingush. In general, most North Caucasus nations are relatively less integrated into Russian culture, resulting in better preservation of their languages and cultures compared to, for example, Finno-Ugric languages. /29

FREEDOM MOVEMENTS
Ingush communities are adept at self-organizing, staging protests, and joining movements in their pursuit of change. However, despite their dedicated efforts, the outcomes remain limited. Ingushetia is losing land, and many activists are being jailed. /30

In 2022, the Ingush Independence Committee was established, and it appears they have already achieved some success. In January 2023, Ahkmad Ozdo, a representative of the movement, spoke at the Free Nations Forum in the European Parliament. /31

Also, in January 2023, in Istanbul, the Committee declared the independence of the Ingush People. /32

In April, the Committee announced that they have established a general staff and are currently in the process of forming an army. According to the press secretary, Ruslan Youlo, their fighters possess combat experience, and volunteers apply to join almost every day. /33

Notably, in late March and early April, multiple attacks hit police posts in Ingushetia, causing three deaths and eight injuries among officers. Russia launched a robust pursuit of attackers, declaring a counter-terror operation. Attack motives remain unclear. /34

On July 1, 2023, the Ingush Liberation Army posted a video encouraging Ingush people to support the resistance instead of participating in the war in Ukraine. /35

CONCLUSION

The history of Ingushetia illustrates Russia's effective use of the "divide and conquer" strategy to control the Northern Caucasus. Moscow's selective support has created disparities among nations, with Ingush suffering significantly. /36

Ingushetia may appear small and relatively powerless at first glance. Nevertheless, it seems that a significant number of Ingush people are growing weary of the extreme injustice they are enduring. /37

The Ingush Committee of Independence is consistently taking measures to prepare for resistance. Should similar developments occur in other republics, Russia will find it challenging to control the region, regardless of the Kremlin's efforts to safeguard its empire. /38

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