Yakut Revolt
Encyclopedia
The Yakut Revolt or the Yakut Expedition (Russian: Якутский поход) was the last episode of the Russian Civil War
. The hostilities took place between September 1921 and June 1923 and were centred on the Ayano-Maysky District
of the Russian Far East
.
A formidable rising flared up in this part of Yakutia in September 1921. About 200 White Russians
were led by Cornet
Mikhail Korobeinikov
. In March 1922 they established the Provisional Yakut Regional People's Government in Churapcha
. On 23 March Korobeinikov's "Yakut People's Army" took the major town of Yakutsk
, with six machine guns. The Red Army
garrison was decimated.
In April, the White Russians contacted the Provisional Priamurye Government
in Vladivostok
, asking for help. On 27 April, the Soviets declared the Yakut ASSR and sent an expedition to put down the uprising. In summer 1922, the Whites were ousted from Yakutsk and withdrew to the Pacific coast. They occupied the port towns of Okhotsk
and Ayan and again asked Vladivostok for reinforcements.
On 30 August, the Pacific Ocean Fleet, manned by about 750 volunteers under Lieutenant General
Anatoly Pepelyayev
, sailed from Vladivostok to assist the White Russians. Three days later, this force disembarked in Ayan and moved upon Yakutsk. By the end of October, when Pepelyayev occupied the town of Nelkan, he learned that the bolsheviks had wrested Vladivostok from the White Army and the Civil War was over.
When the Soviet Union
was formed on December 31, the only Russian territory still controlled by the White Movement
was the region of the Pepelyayevshchina ("пепеляевщина"), that is, Ayan, Okhotsk, and Nelkan. A unit of Bolsheviks under Ivan Strod
was sent against Pepelyayev
in February. On 12 February, they defeated the Pepelyayevists near Sasyl-Sasyg; in March the White Army were ousted from Amga
.
On 24 April, 1923 the ships Stavropol and Indigirka sailed from Vladivostok for Ayan. They contained a contingent of the Red Army under Stepan Vostretsov. Upon his arrival in Ayan on 6 April, Vostretsov learnt that Pepelyayev had evacuated to Nelkan. The remainder of the White Army were defeated near Okhotsk on 6 June and near Ayan on 16 June. The general, 103 White officers, and 230 soldiers were taken prisoner and transported to Vladivostok.
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
. The hostilities took place between September 1921 and June 1923 and were centred on the Ayano-Maysky District
Ayano-Maysky District
Ayano-Maysky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the seventeen in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. Its administrative center is the rural locality of Ayan. District's population: Population of Ayan accounts for 40.5% of the district's population.-Geography:The district has...
of the Russian Far East
Russian Far East
Russian Far East is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i.e., extreme east parts of Russia, between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean...
.
A formidable rising flared up in this part of Yakutia in September 1921. About 200 White Russians
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
were led by Cornet
Cornet (military rank)
Cornet was originally the third and lowest grade of commissioned officer in a British cavalry troop, after captain and lieutenant. A cornet is a new and junior officer.- Traditional duties :The cornet carried the troop standard, also known as a "cornet"....
Mikhail Korobeinikov
Mikhail Korobeinikov
Cornet Mikhail Yakovlevich Korobeinikov was one of the leaders of the Yakut Revolt....
. In March 1922 they established the Provisional Yakut Regional People's Government in Churapcha
Churapcha
Churapcha is a village and the administrative center of Churapchinsky Ulus in the Sakha Republic, Russia. Population: 7,526 ; 6,232 ....
. On 23 March Korobeinikov's "Yakut People's Army" took the major town of Yakutsk
Yakutsk
With a subarctic climate , Yakutsk is the coldest city, though not the coldest inhabited place, on Earth. Average monthly temperatures range from in July to in January. The coldest temperatures ever recorded on the planet outside Antarctica occurred in the basin of the Yana River to the northeast...
, with six machine guns. The Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
garrison was decimated.
In April, the White Russians contacted the Provisional Priamurye Government
Provisional Priamurye Government
The Provisional Priamurye Government existed in the Siberian region of Priamurye, Russia, between May 27, 1921 and October 25, 1922...
in Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
, asking for help. On 27 April, the Soviets declared the Yakut ASSR and sent an expedition to put down the uprising. In summer 1922, the Whites were ousted from Yakutsk and withdrew to the Pacific coast. They occupied the port towns of Okhotsk
Okhotsk
Okhotsk is an urban locality and a seaport at the mouth of the Okhota River on the Sea of Okhotsk, in Okhotsky District, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. Population: 4,470 ;...
and Ayan and again asked Vladivostok for reinforcements.
On 30 August, the Pacific Ocean Fleet, manned by about 750 volunteers under Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Anatoly Pepelyayev
Anatoly Pepelyayev
Anatoly Nikolayevich Pepelyayev was a White Russian general who led the Siberian armies of Admiral Kolchak during the Russian Civil War. His elder brother Viktor Pepelyayev served as Prime Minister in Kolchak's government.-Trans-Siberian march:...
, sailed from Vladivostok to assist the White Russians. Three days later, this force disembarked in Ayan and moved upon Yakutsk. By the end of October, when Pepelyayev occupied the town of Nelkan, he learned that the bolsheviks had wrested Vladivostok from the White Army and the Civil War was over.
When the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
was formed on December 31, the only Russian territory still controlled by the White Movement
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
was the region of the Pepelyayevshchina ("пепеляевщина"), that is, Ayan, Okhotsk, and Nelkan. A unit of Bolsheviks under Ivan Strod
Ivan Strod
Ivan Yakovlevich Strod was a hero of the Russian Civil War in the Russian Far East from 1918 to 1923....
was sent against Pepelyayev
Anatoly Pepelyayev
Anatoly Nikolayevich Pepelyayev was a White Russian general who led the Siberian armies of Admiral Kolchak during the Russian Civil War. His elder brother Viktor Pepelyayev served as Prime Minister in Kolchak's government.-Trans-Siberian march:...
in February. On 12 February, they defeated the Pepelyayevists near Sasyl-Sasyg; in March the White Army were ousted from Amga
Amga
Amga is a rural locality and the administrative center of Amginsky Ulus of the Sakha Republic, Russia. It is situated on the Amga River, some south-east of Yakutsk...
.
On 24 April, 1923 the ships Stavropol and Indigirka sailed from Vladivostok for Ayan. They contained a contingent of the Red Army under Stepan Vostretsov. Upon his arrival in Ayan on 6 April, Vostretsov learnt that Pepelyayev had evacuated to Nelkan. The remainder of the White Army were defeated near Okhotsk on 6 June and near Ayan on 16 June. The general, 103 White officers, and 230 soldiers were taken prisoner and transported to Vladivostok.