The decision of Stalin, Beria, Molotov, Voroshilov and other members of the USSR State Defense Committee on mass deportations of the peoples of the North Caucasus and other regions of the country on the basis of nationality violated the Soviet Constitution and the Criminal Code. A resident of Kabardino-Balkaria, Oleg Kelemetov, reported this in his statement to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.

Kelemetov believes that the decision of the State Defense Committee to evict Chechens, Ingush, Karachais, Balkars, Kalmyks and Crimean Tatars was absolutely illegal. In his opinion, the reason for the forced relocation was the nationality and ethnicity of the repressed residents.

“The deportation was repressive, indiscriminate, with the use of physical violence, a threat to life and health, and massive episodes of death. The violent actions of government officials were widespread and systemic, which indicates signs of genocide,” the statement noted.

Let us recall that on February 23, 1944, Soviet Secretary General Joseph Stalin gave the order for the deportation of Chechens and Ingush from the North Caucasus region to Central Asia and Siberia. This act was recognized by many countries of the world and the European Parliament as genocide. Half a million people were forced to leave their homes. The number of victims during the eviction period exceeded a third of the total number of peoples.