Thread by @ford_nik

Today marks 79years since the #Aardakh Genocide also known as— Operation Lentil. This is when Stalin ordered the deportation of the entire Chechen and Ingush populations. #Chechnya #Ichkeria 🧵 #russiancolonialism #russiaisaterroriststate

During WWII, Stalin became suspicious of the Chechen population because the Germans got within a close margin of the Western mountainous region of the North Caucasus and suspected the Chechens of colluding with the Nazis— even though many were fighting on behalf of the Red Army.

This fact was irrelevant. Stalin decide they were all Nazis and must be destroyed.

Since 1918 Feb 23rd was a day to celebrate the Red Army— knowing this, the Soviets used this day to trick the Chechens.

When the people came out to celebrate, however, they were confronted by police & told they must gather themselves as they were being deported. The operation was conducted by the NKVD, NKGB, and SMERSH under the general leadership of Commissar of Internal Affairs L.P. Beria.

Just under 500,000 would be loaded onto cattle car trains to Central Asia. Approximately 125k would die rn route to Qazakhstan (~25%) — there was little to no ventilation, little to no food or water, sanitation. It was freezing.

As the war ended and those Chechens who fought for the Red Army who did not die tried to return to Chechnya would find themselves on trains and deported, themselves.

Between 1944 and 1952 when Stalin died, Chechens lost over 54% of their population. It wouldn’t be until 1957 when Khrushchev came to power Chechens would be given the opportunity to return home.

However, for those who took the chance to do so, would find Russians who were moved into their homes and the Soviet state refusing to kick ethnic Russians out or offer reparations. This lead to the Grozny Riots of 1958.

Through the Soviet Empire Chechens were forbade to speak about it. However, as the USSR fell apart the Aaradakh genocide was one of the main affronts cited in Chechnya’s bid as it declared its independence from 🇷🇺 in 1991.

However— the story of 🇷🇺genocide of Chechnya did not begin there & it did not end there. Hundreds of yes previously through conquest & slaughter of the Caucausian Wars & again as Chechnya sought freedom in 1991 & won it.

And again in 2000 as Putin began an illegal war in #Chechnya to steal their independence and commit yet another genocide which sought an approx 200k more dead. /🧵#russiaisaterroriststate #russiancolonialism #AardakhGenocide #Ichkeria

I mistakenly deleted the post which included the following: there were 100k civilians who were genocided by 🇷🇺 in the 1st Chechen war which ended in 1996. /🧵

#DayOfRemembrance