Yakut revolt (1918)

For the 1921–1923 Yakut revolt, see Yakut revolt (1921).

The Yakut revolt of 1918 was the rejection of Bolshevik rule by the Yakut people of far eastern Russia during the early stages of the Russian Civil War, culminating in the establishment of an independent Yakut republic (or Yakutia) in 1918. Yakutia was short-lived, being declared in February 1918 during the Russian Civil War, and being dissolved following a Bolshevik intervention in July 1918. It was coterminous with the present day Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), a Russian constituent republic. Yakutia's capital was Yakutsk.

Yakut revolt
Part of the Russian Civil War
Map of Yakutsk Oblast, 1913
Date February – 1 July 1918 Location Yakutia Result Soviet victory Territorial changes Yakutia defeated by Soviets
Belligerents
Russian Soviet Republic Irkutsk Oblast	Yakutia
Commanders and leaders
A. S. Rydzinski	V. V. Popov P. A. Bondaletov
Casualties and losses
90 killed

Course of events

After the February Revolution of 1917 in Russia, ethnic Yakuts began politically organizing and forming their own local committees. Following the Bolshevik seizure of power during the October Revolution of 1917, the Yakut committees were merged into an anti-Bolshevik autonomous regional administration, the "Yakut Committee to Safeguard the Revolution". After the formal proclamation of the Russian Soviet Republic in January 1918, the Committee declared the independence of Yakutia in reaction to these events. In February 1918, the Yakuts staged an uprising against the Bolsheviks. It is said that the Yakuts murdered or deported 10,000 Russian civilians in the Tiksi Sea, Yakutia.

This independent government was overthrown on July 1^[1] by the intervention of Soviet troops from Irkutsk led by A. S. Rydzinski.^[2][3] The battle for the city lasted about three hours, from 10 p.m. on June 30 to 2 a.m. on July 1. Finally, the city was taken by the Red Army, with total losses amounting to 90 people.^[4]

Later, in 1921, the Yakuts and White Russians would organize an anti-Soviet revolt in the region, which also ended in failure.

Government and politics

Yakutia Саха
1918
Flag Coat of arms
Area controlled by Yakutia during the 1918 Yakut Revolt
Capital	Yakutsk
Common languages	Yakut, Russian
Government	Republic
Chairman
• 1918	V. V. Popov
Historical era	Russian Civil War
• Established	February 1918
• Disestablished	1 July 1918
Preceded by Succeeded by Russian Republic Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Today part of	Russia

The government was led by the "Yakut Committee of Safeguard and Revolution" or the "Yakut Committee of Public Safety".^[2] Their chairman was V. V. Popov.