Khaibakh massacre
Encyclopedia
The Khaibakh massacre refers to a report of mass execution of the ethnically Chechen
population of the aul
of Khaibakh, in the mountaineous part of Chechnya
, by Soviet forces under a NKVD
colonel
Mikhail Gveshiani.
The incident reportedly took place on February 27, 1944 during the Operation Lentil
(the mass deportation to Kazakhstan
). As it was impossible to convoy deportees to the railway stations on the plain due to a snowstorm, 700 villagers, including women and children, were locked in the stable and burned alive, while those trying to escape were shot.
After the incident, Gveshiani was reportedly congratulated for his success and good work by Lavrenty Beria, who promised him a medal.
The account of the incident is disputed by certain Russian sources, especially in the Russian media.
. Archaeologists have found the bodies of Caucasian scouts who died doing the job in the rear of the Nazis. In his pockets were found letters inscribing the name of the aul Haibach. When the archaeologists, accompanied by a former Soviet general, decided to inform the families that they found their relatives, they learned that such a settlement in Chechnya no longer exists. Continuing their investigation, they discovered the bitter truth that while soldiers from Chechnya were dying on the front, the relatives of theirs were burned alive in their homes by Soviet soldiers.
Chechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
population of the aul
Aul
An aul is a type of fortified village found throughout the Caucasus mountains, especially in Dagestan.The word itself is of Turkic origine and means simply village in many Turkic languages....
of Khaibakh, in the mountaineous part of Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
, by Soviet forces under a NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Mikhail Gveshiani.
The incident reportedly took place on February 27, 1944 during the Operation Lentil
Operation Lentil
Operation Lentil may refer to:* Operation Lentil , deportation of populations by Soviet Union* Operation Lentil , British naval air attack on Japanese installations...
(the mass deportation to Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
). As it was impossible to convoy deportees to the railway stations on the plain due to a snowstorm, 700 villagers, including women and children, were locked in the stable and burned alive, while those trying to escape were shot.
After the incident, Gveshiani was reportedly congratulated for his success and good work by Lavrenty Beria, who promised him a medal.
The account of the incident is disputed by certain Russian sources, especially in the Russian media.
Rediscovery
The aul of Haibach was rediscovered, through archaeological finds in the UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. Archaeologists have found the bodies of Caucasian scouts who died doing the job in the rear of the Nazis. In his pockets were found letters inscribing the name of the aul Haibach. When the archaeologists, accompanied by a former Soviet general, decided to inform the families that they found their relatives, they learned that such a settlement in Chechnya no longer exists. Continuing their investigation, they discovered the bitter truth that while soldiers from Chechnya were dying on the front, the relatives of theirs were burned alive in their homes by Soviet soldiers.
See also
- List of massacres in the Soviet Union
- "Khaibakh: Investigation is Ongoing...", a book in Russian by T. Chagaeva and S. Gaev.