When the Soviet Union existed, different governments had ruled the northern Caucasus regions of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Within the Mountain Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic, later annexed into the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, they were known as the Chechen Autonomous Oblast and the Ingush Autonomous Oblast, which were unified on 15 January 1934, to form the Checheno-Ingush Autonomous Oblast. It was elevated to an autonomous republic as the Checheno-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic from 1936 to 1944 and again from 1957 to 1993. Its capital was Grozny.
However, because of known collaboration with Nazi Germany and the Axis powers during World War II, the autonomous republic was abolished on 7 March 1944 resulting the ethnic cleansing of the Chechens and Ingush from its territory. The autonomous republic's status was restored in January 1957. The 1979 census reported the territory had an area of 19,300 square kilometres (7,500 sq mi) and a population of 1,155,805 (1979 Census): 611,405 Chechens, 134,744 Ingush, and the rest were Russians and other ethnic groups.
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History
Russian Empire
The region was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1810–1859. In 1810 a treaty facilitated Ingushetia's further integration into Russia. The Ingush needed an alliance with the Russians to protect their villages; at the same time, they hoped to gain political support in opposing the expansion of the Kabardian and Aksai princes. Finally, these agreements contributed to Ingushetia's economic development in the spread context of capitalist relations. The agreement of 23 August 1810 gave the Ingush the right to use the lands on the right side of the Terek River.
In 1859 historical Chechnya was annexed to Russia as well, in the context of the long Caucasian War of 1817–64.
Soviet period
After the Russian Revolution of 1917, on 20 January 1921, Chechnya and Ingushetia joined the Mountain Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. Partition of the Mountain ASSR began shortly after it was formed. On the advice of Anastas Mikoyan, the ASSR's Chechen District was separated on 30 November 1922, as the Chechen Autonomous Oblast. On 7 July 1924, the remains of the Mountain ASSR were split into North Ossetian Autonomous Oblast and Ingush Autonomous Oblast. On 15 January 1934, Chechen and Ingush Autonomous Oblasts were joined into Checheno-Ingush Autonomous Oblast, which was elevated in status to that of an ASSR (Checheno-Ingush ASSR) on 5 December 1936.
World War II
During World War II, in 1942–43, the republic was partly occupied by Nazi Germany while 40,000 Chechens fought in the Red Army. On 7 March 1944, on the orders of Stalin, the republic was disbanded and its population forcibly deported upon the accusations of collaboration with the Axis powers and separatism. The territory of the ASSR was divided between Stavropol Krai (where Grozny Oblast was formed), the Dagestan ASSR, the North Ossetian ASSR, and the Georgian SSR where the extra territory was known as the Akhalkhevi District until 1957.
Khrushchev Thaw
During the Thaw period, Mikoyan advised Nikita Khrushchev on a policy that allowed the deportees and their families to return to Checheno-Ingushetia. On 9 January 1957, the ASSR was officially restored.
The collapse of Checheno-Ingushetia
On 27 November 1990, the Supreme Soviet of the Checheno-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic adopted a declaration on the state sovereignty of the Checheno-Ingush Republic, and on 24 May 1991, according to the amendments to Art. 71 of the Constitution of the RSFSR, the autonomous republic began to be called the Checheno-Ingush SSR. This decision before the dissolution of the USSR (December 1991) was not consistent with Art. 85 of the Constitution of the USSR, which retained the name of the Checheno-Ingush ASSR.
On 8 June 1991, at the initiative of Dzhokhar Dudayev, a part of the delegates of the First Chechen National Congress gathered in Grozny, which proclaimed itself the All-National Congress of the Chechen People (OKChN). Following this, was proclaimed the Chechen Republic (Nokhchi-cho), and the leaders of the Supreme Soviet of the republic were declared "usurpers".
The events of August 19–22, 1991 in Moscow became the catalyst for a socio-political explosion in Checheno-Ingushetia. The organizer and leader of the mass movement was the executive committee of the OKChN headed by Dzhokhar Dudaev. After the failure of the GKChP, the executive committee of the OKChN and organizations of the national-radical wing came forward with a demand for the resignation of the Supreme Soviet of the Checheno-Ingush ASSR and the holding of new elections. On 1–2 September, the 3rd session of the OKChN declared the Supreme Soviet of the Autonomous Republic "deposed" and transferred all power in the Chechen part of the republic to the executive committee of the OKChN.
On 6 September 1991, Dudayev announced the dissolution of the republican power structures. Armed supporters of OKChN occupied the building of the TV center and the House of Radio, took by storm the House of Political Education, where the meeting of the Supreme Council was held. On this day, the Supreme Soviet met in full force, heads of local councils, clergy, and heads of enterprises were invited for consultations. Dudayev and other leaders of the OKChN decided to take the building by storm. More than 40 deputies of the Checheno-Ingush parliament were beaten, and the chairman of the Grozny City Council, Vitaly Kutsenko, was thrown out of the window by the separatists, and then finished off in the hospital. Doku Zavgayev resigned from the post of chairman of the Supreme Council of Checheno-Ingushetia under pressure from protesters.
Demographics
Vital statistics
Source: Russian Federal State Statistics Service
Ethnic groups
Combined results of Chechnya and Ingushetia