On 23 February 1944, Soviet leader Stalin ordered the deportation of Chechens and Ingush from the North Caucasus region to Central Asia and Siberia. This act has been recognized by many countries and the European Parliament as genocide.
Numerous massacres were committed during this deportation. About 500,000 Chechens and Ingush were loaded into wagons and transported to Central Asia and Siberia. Soviet authorities confiscated their houses, land and all property.
As a result of the deportation, between 20 and 35 per cent of the population of the Chechen-Ingush ASSR was lost and abolished. In the early years, the number of victims increased due to climatic conditions, hard work and epidemics in the new place of residence. Each of the 10 houses of the Chechens and Ingush was under the supervision of a military guard. New settlers could only move for 3 km.
In 1957, the authorities of the USSR recognized the illegality of the eviction of entire peoples. The Chechen-Ingush ASSR was restored.
