Turks in Russia
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Turks in Russia ( tr, , russian: ), also referred to as Turkish Russians or Russian Turks, refers to people of full or partial ethnic
Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...
origin who have either immigrated to
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
or who were born in the Russian state. The community is largely made up of several migration waves, including: descendants of Ottoman-Turkish captives during the
Russo-Turkish wars The Russo-Turkish wars (or Ottoman–Russian wars) were a series of twelve wars fought between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire between the 16th and 20th centuries. It was one of the longest series of military conflicts in European histor ...
; the Turkish Meskhetian community; and the more recent Turkish immigrants from the
Republic of Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
.


History


Ottoman migration

The
First All-Union Census of the Soviet Union The 1926 Soviet Census took place in December 1926. It was an important tool in the state-building of the USSR, provided the government with important ethnographic information, and helped in the transformation from Imperial Russian society to Sov ...
in 1926 recorded 8,570
Ottoman Turks The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922). Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...
living in the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. The Ottoman Turks are no longer listed separately in the census, as it is presumed that those who were living in Russia in the 1920s have subsequently either been assimilated into Russian society or have left the country.


Meskhetian Turks migration

During World War II, the Soviet Union was preparing to launch a pressure campaign against Turkey. Vyacheslav Molotov, who was at the time the Minister of Foreign Affairs, made a request of the Turkish Ambassador in Moscow that Turkey surrender three Anatolian provinces (Kars, Ardahan and Artvin). 1/sup> Thus, war against Turkey seemed possible, and Joseph Stalin wanted to commit a genocide to the strategic Turkish population situated in Meskheti, near the Turkish-Georgian border, since during the Russo-Turkish Wars the Turks of the region had been loyal to the Ottoman Empire and were therefore likely to be hostile to Soviet intentions. 112] In 1944, the Meskhetian Turks were forcefully deported from Meskheti, Georgia and accused of smuggling, banditry and espionage in collaboration with their kin across the Turkish border. 3/sup> Soviet authorities issued an official ruling that 17,000 Meskhetian Turks, virtually the entire Turkish population in the Ferghana Valley, be transported to Russia. Another 70,000 Meskhetian Turks from other parts of Uzbekistan soon followed the first wave of migrants and settled mainly in Azerbaijan and Russia. In the late 1970s, the
Stavropol Stavropol (; rus, Ставрополь, p=ˈstavrəpəlʲ) is a city and the administrative centre of Stavropol Krai, Russia. As of the 2021 Census, its population was 547,820, making it one of Russia's fastest growing cities. It was known as ...
and
Krasnodar Krasnodar (; rus, Краснода́р, p=krəsnɐˈdar; ady, Краснодар), formerly Yekaterinodar (until 1920), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The city stands on the Kuban River in southern ...
authorities visited various regions of
Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked cou ...
to invite and recruit Meskhetian Turks to work in agriculture enterprises in southern
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
.. In 1985,
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
issued a proposal inviting more
Meskhetian Turks Meskhetian Turks, also referred to as Turkish Meskhetians, Ahiska Turks, and Turkish Ahiskans, ( ka, მესხეთის თურქები ''Meskhetis turk'ebi'') are an ethnic subgroup of Turks formerly inhabiting the Meskheti regio ...
to move to villages in southern Russia that had been abandoned by ethnic
Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...
who were moving to the cities. However, the
Meskhetian Turks Meskhetian Turks, also referred to as Turkish Meskhetians, Ahiska Turks, and Turkish Ahiskans, ( ka, მესხეთის თურქები ''Meskhetis turk'ebi'') are an ethnic subgroup of Turks formerly inhabiting the Meskheti regio ...
response was that they would only leave Uzbekistan if the move were to be to their homeland. Then, in 1989, ethnic
Uzbeks The Uzbeks ( uz, , , , ) are a Turkic ethnic group native to the wider Central Asian region, being among the largest Turkic ethnic group in the area. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, next to Kazakh and Karakalpak mino ...
began a series of actions against the Turks; they became the victims of riots in the
Ferghana valley The Fergana Valley (; ; ) in Central Asia lies mainly in eastern Uzbekistan, but also extends into southern Kyrgyzstan and northern Tajikistan. Divided into three republics of the former Soviet Union, the valley is ethnically diverse and in the ...
which led to over a hundred deaths. Within days, Decision 503 was announced "inviting" the Turks to occupy the empty farms in southern Russia that they had resisted moving to for years and around 17,000 Meskhetian Turks were evacuated to Russia... Meskhetian Turks maintain that Moscow had planned the Uzbek riots. By the early 1990s, the 70,000 Meskhetian Turks who were still resident in Uzbekistan left for
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
,
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
and
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
due to fears of continued violence.


Mainland Turkish migration

During the 2000s, Russia witnessed increasing numbers of immigrants from
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
; the number of Turkish labour migrants grew, on average, by 30–50% per annum.. By 2008, over 130,000 Turkish citizens were working in Russia; most Turkish immigrants are those who married Russians in Turkey and then came to reside in the homeland of their spouse.


Demographics

According to the
2010 Russian Census The Russian Census of 2010 (russian: Всеросси́йская пе́репись населе́ния 2010 го́да) was the second census of the Russian Federation population after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Preparations for the ...
, 105,058 people declared themselves as "Turks" and 4,825 stated that they were "Meskhetian Turks"; hence, the census showed that there was a total of 109,883 Turks living in the country.


Discrimination

Meskhetian Turks in Russia, especially those in
Krasnodar Krasnodar (; rus, Краснода́р, p=krəsnɐˈdar; ady, Краснодар), formerly Yekaterinodar (until 1920), is the largest city and the administrative centre of Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The city stands on the Kuban River in southern ...
, have faced hostility from the local population. The
Meskhetian Turks Meskhetian Turks, also referred to as Turkish Meskhetians, Ahiska Turks, and Turkish Ahiskans, ( ka, მესხეთის თურქები ''Meskhetis turk'ebi'') are an ethnic subgroup of Turks formerly inhabiting the Meskheti regio ...
of Krasnodar have suffered significant human rights violations, including the deprivation of their citizenship. They have been deprived of civil, political and social rights and are prohibited from owning property and employment. Since 2004, many are now leaving the
Krasnodar region Krasnodar Krai (russian: Краснода́рский край, r=Krasnodarsky kray, p=krəsnɐˈdarskʲɪj kraj) is a federal subject of Russia (a krai), located in the North Caucasus region in Southern Russia and administratively a part of t ...
for the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
as refugees.


Noble families

* Turchaninov family *


Notable people

This list includes people of full and partial Turkish origin. * Olga Semyonovna Zaplatina Aksakov, wife of
Sergey Aksakov Sergey Timofeyevich Aksakov (russian: Серге́й Тимофе́евич Акса́ков) (—) was a 19th-century Russian literary figure remembered for his semi-autobiographical tales of family life, as well as his books on hunting and fi ...
(Turkish mother) **children: **,
Privy Councillor A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...
(Turkish grandmother) **
Ivan Aksakov Ivan Sergeyevich Aksakov (russian: Ива́н Серге́евич Акса́ков; , village Nadezhdino, Belebeyevsky Uyezd, Orenburg Governorate – , Moscow) was a Russian littérateur and notable Slavophile. Biography Aksakov was born in ...
, littérateur and notable Slavophile (Turkish grandmother) **
Konstantin Aksakov Konstantin Sergeyevich Aksakov (russian: Константи́н Серге́евич Акса́ков) (10 April 1817 – 19 December 1860) was a Russian critic and writer, one of the earliest and most notable Slavophiles. He wrote plays, social ...
, critic and writer (Turkish grandmother) **
Vera Aksakova Vera Sergueïevna Aksakova or Vera Axakova (19 February 1819 – 9 March 1864) was a Russian writer known for her diaries at the time of the Crimean War in a Slavophile family. Life Aksakova was born in Moscow in 1819. She was the eldest daughter ...
, writer known for her diaries at the time of the
Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...
(Turkish grandmother) *
Alina Boz Alina Boz (; born 14 June 1998) is a Russian-born Turkish actress. She is best known for her series ''Elimi Bırakma'' and '' Maraşlı'', and the Netflix series ''Aşk 101.'' She gained recognition for her work as Eda in the Netflix series Love ...
, actress ( Turkish Bulgarian father) *
Ivan Bunin Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin ( or ; rus, Ива́н Алексе́евич Бу́нин, p=ɪˈvan ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ ˈbunʲɪn, a=Ivan Alyeksyeyevich Bunin.ru.vorb.oga;  – 8 November 1953) was the first Russian writer awarded the ...
, * Elena Dmitrievna, Turkish captive during the Siege of Anapa; she converted to Christianity and married
Mikhail Shchepkin , birth_date = , birth_place = Krasnoe, Kursk Province, Russian Empire , death_date = (aged 64) , death_place = Yalta, Russian Empire , resting_place = , occupation = Actor , language = Russian , nationality = Russian , period = ...
**children and descendants: **, philologist **, publisher, teacher and public figure *** , historian, teacher and public figure ***, linguist and art historian ***), politician ** Petr Mikhailovich, lawyer, assistant chairman of the Moscow District Court ***
Tatiana Shchepkina-Kupernik Tatiana Lvovna Shchepkina-Kupernik (russian: Татья́на Льво́вна Ще́пкина-Купе́рник, in Moscow, Russian Empire – July 27, 1952 in Moscow, USSR) was a Russian and Soviet writer, dramatist, poet and translator. Bio ...
, writer, dramatist, poet and translator **Fyokla (Faina) Mikhailovna, actress **Alexandra Mikhailovna, actress *, criminologist (paternal Turkish grandmother) *
Vasily Ekimov Vasily Petrovich Ekimov (russian: Василий Петрович Екимов; 1756 or 1758 – 1837), sometimes spelled as Yekimov (russian: Екимов) or Yakimov (russian: Якимов), was a Russian Empire master founder. Life Of Turkis ...
, sculptor (works include the ''
Bronze Horseman The ''Bronze Horseman'' (russian: link=no, Медный всадник, literally "copper horseman") is an equestrian statue of Peter I of Russia, Peter the Great in the Senate Square (Saint Petersburg), Senate Square in Saint Petersburg, Ru ...
'', the '' Samson Fountain'', and the
Monument to Minin and Pozharsky The Monument to Minin and Pozharsky (russian: Па́мятник Ми́нину и Пожа́рскому) is a bronze statue designed by Ivan Martos and located on the Red Square in Moscow, Russia, in front of Saint Basil's Cathedral. The statue ...
) *
Niyaz Ilyasov Niyaz Anvarovich Ilyasov ( rus, Нияз Анварович Ильясов, , nʲɪˈjas ɪˈlʲjasəf; born 10 August 1995) is a Russian judoka of Turkish Meskhetian heritage. He participated at the 2018 World Judo Championships, winning a m ...
, judoka; medalists winner in the 2018 and 2019
World Judo Championships The World Judo Championships are the highest level of international judo competition, along with the Olympic judo competition. The championships are held once every year (except the years when the Olympics take place) by the International Judo ...
( Turkish Meskhetian origin) *, singer and theater actress *
Tina Kandelaki Tina Kandelaki (russian: Тина Канделаки, ka, თინათინ კანდელაკი born 10 November 1975) is a Russian journalist, television presenter, producer, and a co-owner of the Apostol company. Biography Kan ...
, journalist, public figure, TV presenter and producer (half Turkish mother) *
Vasily Kapnist Count Vasily Vasilievich Kapnist (russian: Василий Васильевич Капнист, 23 February 1758 – 9 November 1823), was a Russian poet, playwright and nobleman who was known as an active critic of serfdom in Russia and as a pr ...
, playwright and nobleman (Turkish mother) * Alemdar Karamanov, composer (Turkish father) *, Turkish child adopted by Russian soldiers during the
Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 ( tr, 93 Harbi, lit=War of ’93, named for the year 1293 in the Islamic calendar; russian: Русско-турецкая война, Russko-turetskaya voyna, "Russian–Turkish war") was a conflict between th ...
; she became a nurse during World War I *
Eşref Kolçak Eşref Kolçak (28 January 1927 – 26 May 2019) was a Turkish actor. Biography Eşref Kolçak was born in Russia. His father was Harun Kolçakoğlu, and his mother was of Russian descent, his family moved to Turkey, Erzurum when he was 5 years ...
, actor (Turkish father) * Elizaveta Vasilievna Krupskaya, mother-in-law of
Vladimir Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 19 ...
(Turkish great-grandmother) **children: **
Nadezhda Krupskaya Nadezhda Konstantinovna Krupskaya ( rus, links=no, Надежда Константиновна Крупская, p=nɐˈdʲeʐdə kənstɐnˈtʲinəvnə ˈkrupskəjə; 27 February 1939) was a Russian revolutionary and the wife of Vladimir Lenin ...
, Russian revolutionary and the wife of Vladimir Lenin *, actress (Turkish father) * Muslim Magomayev, opera and pop singer (Turkish maternal grandfather) * Maxim Can Mutaf, basketball player (Turkish father) *, Soviet war hero during the
Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of conflict between the European Axis powers against the Soviet Union (USSR), Poland and other Allies, which encompassed Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northeast Europe (Baltics), and Sout ...
( Turkish Meskhetian origin) *
Konstantin Paustovsky Konstantin Georgiyevich Paustovsky ( rus, Константи́н Гео́ргиевич Паусто́вский, p=pəʊˈstofskʲɪj; – 14 July 1968) was a Soviet writer nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature in 1965. Early life ...
, writer nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature in 1965 (partial Turkish origin) *
Pyotr Ivanovich Poletika Pyotr Ivanovich Poletika (russian: Пётр Иванович Полетика; 15 August 1778 – 26 January 1849, occasionally referred to in the West as Pierre de Poletica) was the second Russian ambassador to the United States. Biogra ...
, second Russian ambassador to the United States (Turkish mother) * Ekaterina Pavlovna Rosengeim, adopted daughter of
Dmitry Golitsyn Prince Dmitry Vladimirovich Golitsyn (russian: Князь Дмитрий Владимирович Голицын; 29 October 177127 March 1844, Paris) was an Imperial Russian cavalry general prominent during the Napoleonic Wars, statesman and mi ...
(Turkish mother) *, educator ( Turkish Meskhetian origin) *
Alexey Verstovsky Alexey Nikolayevich Verstovsky (russian: Алексéй Никола́евич Верстóвский) () was a Russian composer, musical bureaucrat and rival of Mikhail Glinka. Biography Alexey Verstovsky was born at Seliverstovo Estate, Kozlo ...
, composer and musical bureaucrat (Turkish grandmother) * Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky, poet and a leading figure in Russian literature (Turkish mother) **children and descendants: **
Alexandra Zhukovskaya Alexandra Vasilievna Zhukovskaya (11 November 1842 in Düsseldorf – 26 August 1899 in Wendischbora, Germany), was a Russian noble and lady in waiting. Life She was the daughter of Vasily Andreyevich Zhukovsky and Elizabeth von Reutern. Her ...
, Countess of the Russian Empire (Turkish grandmother) ***
Aleksey Belevsky-Zhukovsky Count Alexei Alexeevich Belevsky-Zhukovsky (russian: Алексей Алексеевич Белёвский-Жуковский; 26 November 1871, Schloß Blühnbach, Salzburg – c. 1931 Caucasus) was the son of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich o ...
, Count of the Russian Empire (Turkish great-grandmother)


See also

*
Russia–Turkey relations Russia–Turkey relations (russian: Российско–турецкие отношения; tr, Rusya–Türkiye ilişkileri) are the bilateral relations between Russia and Turkey and their antecedent states. Relations between the two are rat ...
*
Russians in Turkey 240,715 Russians hold either short- or long-term permits and are currently living in Turkey. History Russians began migrating to Turkey during the first half of the 1990s. Most had fled the economic problems prevalent after the dissolution of t ...
*
Turks in the former Soviet Union Turks in the former Soviet Union were a relatively small minority within the Soviet Union when excluding Turks of Azerbaijan, Oguz Turks and other Turkish groups. However, their presence is considered important within Turkology due to the deportati ...
** Turks in Armenia **
Turks in Azerbaijan Turks in Azerbaijan, or Turkish Azerbaijanis, ( tr, ) refers to ethnic Turkish people who live in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The community is largely made of Ottoman Turkish descendants who have lived in Azerbaijan for centuries, as well as th ...
**
Turks in Ukraine Turks in Ukraine ( tr, ) are people of Turkish ethnicity living in Ukraine. The first Turkish settlement started during the Ottoman rule of Ukraine. In addition, there has been modern migration to the country largely formed of Meskhetian Turks, ...
**
Turks in Kazakhstan Turks in Kazakhstan ( tr, ; ) are ethnic Turks who live in Kazakhstan, mostly from Meskheti after the Deportation of the Meskhetian Turks. History Ottoman migration The First All-Union Census of the Soviet Union in 1926 recorded 8,570 Ottoma ...
*
Turks in Europe The Turks in Europe (sometimes called Euro-Turks; tr, Avrupa'daki Türkler or ''Avrupa Türkleri'') refers to ethnic Turks living in Europe. Generally, the Euro-Turks refers to the large Turkish diasporas living in Central and Western Europe a ...
**
Turks in Finland Turks in Finland, also referred to as Turkish Finns or Finnish Turks, ( tr, Finlandiya Türkleri; or ''Finlandiya'da yaşayan Türkler'' fi, Suomen turkkilaiset or ''Suomessa asuvat turkkilaiset'') are the ethnic Turkish people living in Finland ...
**
Turks in Germany Turks in Germany, also referred to as German Turks and Turkish Germans (german: Türken in Deutschland/Deutschtürken; tr, Almanya'da yaşayan Türkler/Almanya Türkleri), are ethnic Turkish people living in Germany. These terms are also used t ...
** Turks in Poland **
Turks in Sweden Turks in Sweden or Swedish Turks ( sv, Turkar i Sverige; tr, ) are people of ethnic Turkish origin living in Sweden. The majority of Swedish Turks descend from the Republic of Turkey; however there has also been significant Turkish migration wa ...


References


Notes


Bibliography

*. * * *. * *. * *. * . * * . {{DEFAULTSORT:Turks In Russia
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
Ethnic groups in Russia Muslim communities of Russia