Armenian Lands Seized from the Turks Should Be Settled by Cossacks – General Yudenich

After the defeat of the 90 thousand-men army of Enver on the approaches to Sarıkamış in December 1914 – January 1915, the Russian army entered the valley of Alashkert.

Having learned about the liberation of their native land, the remnants of the Armenian population who had survived the massacre wished to return to their native villages in order to restore them as soon as possible.

In this regard, the commander of the Caucasian army General Nikolai Yudenich composed a report dated to April 5, 1915, an excerpt from which is presented below.

“In order to use this valley with the greatest benefit, Armenian refugees intend to seize the lands left by the Turks and Kurds. I consider this intention unacceptable because it will be very difficult to reclaim the lands seized by Armenians or prove that it doesn’t belong to them after the war.

I consider it very desirable that the border areas be populated by the Russian population, which is more in line with Russian interests.

In the future, after the aforementioned valleys (Alashkert, Diadin (Nakhijevan), Bayazet) enter the Russian Empire, it is necessary to settle them with the Don and Kuban Cossacks and create a border Cossack community.”

A report to the maritime Russian department dated to March 20 (April 2), 1916, read: “…After the end of the war, more peace can be expected from the Turkic-Turkish population than from Armenians in whose veins flows restless blood.”

On the photo is General Yudenich

Arshaluis Zurabyan