The adygo-armenian factor in the russo-turkish war of 1877–1878 and its modern implications

The article is devoted to the analysis of the Adyghe (Circassian) and Armenian factors in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 and their long-term historical consequences. The paper examines two opposing migration flows triggered by the war: a new wave of Adyghe muhajirism to the Ottoman Empire and the resettlement of Western Armenians to the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. Special attention is paid to the role of M.T. Loris-Melikov in negotiations with the Ottoman Empire. The profound structural similarity between the historical destinies of the Armenians and the Adyghe people is revealed – they are both divided peoples who have become hostages to the contradictions between great powers. The provocative policy of Great Britain, which sought to use the Adyghe against Russia during the Caucasian and Crimean Wars, is analysed, as are the West's modern attempts to capitalize on the memory of the Adyghe during the 2014 Olympic Games. To identify common patterns in the destinies of the peoples of the Caucasus, Georgian material is also drawn upon: Russia's role in the physical preservation of the Georgian people and the participation of Georgian representatives in the Soviet state elite are considered as a comparative context. The final part analyses the current policies of Yerevan and Tbilisi, emphasising that the current leadership of these countries is forgetting the role of Russia in the physical preservation of their peoples and the creation of statehood, and is also repeating the tragic mistakes of the past, focusing on the West.

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