The Organization and Activity of Native Militia in Russian Turkestan

The article is devoted to the problem of the organization and activities of the native militia on the Russian territory of pre-revolutionary Central Asia. The author notes that the beginning of its formation refers to the period before the annexation of this region to the tsarist empire. The first native militiamen were nomads – the Kyrgyz and Kazakhs. They helped the Russian government protecting public order, spend medical actions, fight against theft of livestock, etc. However, the most effective in Russian Turkestan was the Turkmen police, representing by a horse military battalion. Its functions were diverse, including not only police duties, but, for example, protecting the borders of the empire with Persia and Afghanistan. The author believes that in general, the indigenous militia in Russian Turkestan played a significant positive role in the life of the region.