Deportation as a Method of Genocide: The Case of Chechnya

• In Event: The Evolution of Russian/Soviet Genocides of the Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, Ukrainians, Chechens, and Lithuanians in a Comparative Perspective

Abstract

This paper reflects on the 80th anniversary of the Chechen deportation, emphasizing the need to remember and learn from this atrocity to prevent its recurrence. The author discusses the clandestine commencement of the operation "Lentil" on February 23, 1944, leading to the mass deportations and deaths of unsuspecting Chechens. The paper challenges the common attribution of the deportation solely to Stalinist policies, delving into its historical roots and exploring its lasting impact on the Chechen people during Russia's wars in Chechnya in the 1990s.

Author

• Marat Iliyasov, College of the Holy Cross