War-correspondent on the Savage Division

By Vestnik Kavkaza

The riders, looking like they were resurrected from the depths of the heroic era, were well-known throughout the whole of Russia. Newspapers wrote about them, they were mentioned with admiration in palaces and industrial communities. When the regiments of the division appeared, the enemy repeatedly increased its defense. They knew no mercy or leniency. Their unusual form surprised the Russian people and terrified their enemies. The riders of the division were at the head of the famous Brusilov offensive. In admiration of one of their charges, Nicholas II ordered all its participants to be awarded the George Cross. The fact that all the personnel of the military unit were awarded military decorations for one battle is quite outstanding. Hundreds of members of the division stopped the enemy moving forward and counterattacked. The invincible Iron Division of the Germans was destroyed by them, and many lives of the retreating Russian regiments were saved.

The division continued to be one of the few compounds that did not lose its discipline and remained faithful to their military duty to the end, even in the period of general decay and chaos in the Russian army and in the state in general. During their existence these regiments did not know a single case of desertion from their ranks. The riders of the division never left their wounded comrades on the battlefield and never let down their commanders. They refused to swear allegiance to another government, remaining soldiers of honour and courage. Their advance units were already on the outskirts of Petrograd and could have saved Russia from the revolutionary chaos of the autumn of 1917, but the politicians ordered differently, and the riders did not want to go against their fellow citizens.

War-correspondent Ilia Bogatyrev is shooting a film about the Savage Division: “In our studio for a long time, for 5-7 years, we have collected information on the so-called Savage Division, the Caucasian Cavalry Division, specially formed of Caucasian volunteers at the beginning of World War I in 1914. The six regiments of the division went through the hell of World War I. It was a unique experience of Caucasians serving the Russian Empire. Unfortunately, we have forgotten about it today. We would like to restore historical justice, to tell about these unique military units of the Russian army, and to render a proper tribute to these people. According to the plan, according to the scenario, we have three series on the constitution of this division, on the battles they participated in and on the fate that overtook them during the Civil War. They were split. But until recently, this unique unit remained faithful to the oath, and we would like to tell about this. We were in correspondence with Solzhenitsyn on this subject, he actively supported our idea. We wanted to record an interview with him on the subject, but, unfortunately, he died. Next year we will mark the centenary of the First World War, and there is an obvious reason to talk about this unique military unit.”