Peculiarities of the Fight against “Political Banditry” in Kalmykia during the Civil War (1917-1920)

Abstract

The article analyzes the peculiarities of the Soviet authorities’ fight against the “political banditry” in Kalmykia during the Revolution of 1917 and the Civil War. The author concludes that the rebel groups, fighting against the government due to political reasons, were not present in the territory of Kalmykia until 1917. There were only a few criminal groups, which were mainly engaged in cattle raiding. After the Revolution of 1917 and the outbreak of the Civil War the territory of Kalmykia became the scene of armed confrontation between the Red Army and the White Armed Forces. The geographical environment (wide steppes, low population density) determined active implementation of the tactics resembling the actions of cattle raiders: rush and sudden attacks of small flying cavalry columns. Besides, the core target of the bandpovstantsy (rebel groups) were not the troop units, but the administrative establishments and local authorities, and consequently their actions were limited to robbery and capture of food and property. After the White Army was defeated, the majority of the “troops” ceased hostility in exchange for amnesty, and the Rebel movement in Kalmykia was suppressed.