Their surnames were changed, and thousands of soldiers were deployed to Ahıska and its surroundings under the guise of "border protection."
Despite the Ahıska Turks fighting in the Russian army during World War II, Stalin, like he did with other Turkic communities, signed an order for their exile.
Thousands of people from over 200 villages and towns were transported in freight and cattle wagons. They were exiled without the permission to take any belongings.
A total of 86,000 Turks were deported from Ahıska to various regions in Central Asia. Packed tightly in the wagons, the grueling journey of the Ahıska Turks lasted more than a month.
During the journey, approximately 17,000 Ahıska Turks perished due to hunger, cold, and disease.
