Barabanova Maria

Terror as a tactics during the crisis of “Narodnaya volya”: assassination of general V. S. Strel′nikov

Abstract

Revolutionary organization Narodnaya Volya party used a terrorism as a method of disorganization of government. As objects of that except emperor became the most odious statemen and general Vassily Strelnikov, who was attorney of Kyiv military district court. He truly hates revolutionary youth, attorney activizes massive searches and arrests. Strelnikov intimidates them by death penalty that bring them to give wanted testimonies. As the inquiry progresses attorney shuffles and overcharges facts for exact death penalty. Negative recalls about Strelnikov leaved his coworker Vassily Novitzky, lead of Kyiv gendarme province governance and liberal professor of law Fyodor Kistyakovsky. These reports allow to have trust to revolutionary memoirs. A populist Vera Figner propose to kill Strelnikov. She compiles reports about his directions and everyday life. Then to Odessa came Stepan Khalturin, one of executors, the second arrived only in two months – Nikolay Zhelvakov. Khalturin invents a plan of attempt, after a murder he has to drive away a comrade in cart that waits at neighbor street. Khalturin behave uncompromisingly and don’t listen other points of view. 18 march of 1882 Zhelvakov shoot and kill an attorney Strelnikov, but both Zhelvakov and Khalturin was grabbed by people in the crowd. At inquiry Zhelvakov behave hardy and only explicate reasons of his action. But Khalturin make to excuse himself and just before an execution he gave honest testimonies. Probably he makes to put off his death penalty. This successful for revolutionists act of terrorism was prepared very bad and mirrors a state of Narodnaya Volya party after one year of Alexander II assassination.

Keywords

Vassily Strelnikov, Narodnaya Volya party, crisis, Stepan Khalturin, Nikolay Zhelvakov, political terrorism, murder

References

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Information about the author

Barabanova Maria

Academic Degree: Candidate of Sciences* in History;
Place of work: Lomonosov Moscow State University;
ORCID: 0000-0002-6439-4489;
Email: mariapankina92@ya.ru.

*According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011, the degree of Candidate of Sciences (Cand.Sc.) belongs to ISCED level 8 — "doctoral or equivalent", together with PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar.