Putin’s War in Ukraine Shows Who’s Who among Circassian Organizations

Paul Goble

            Staunton, April 23 – The International Circassian Association, created and supported by pro-Moscow groups, has come out in support of Putin’s war in Ukraine, but two independent Circassian groups KAF-FED and Circassian-FED, based in Turkey, the country with the largest Circassian diaspora have denounced this latest act of Russian aggression.

            The ICA claims to speak for all Circassians both in the North Caucasus homeland and throughout the Middle East and the West but in fact has far less support than it imagines. KAF-FED and Circassian-FED do not make such claims but represent the positions of Circassians in Turkey far more accurately.

            Not surprisingly, the ICA has attacked the supporters of the latter, arguing that they are “proxies” for the Turkish government and supporters of Turkish military actions against the Kurds and in Syria; and because the MFA enjoys Russian government support, its position has been advertised far more widely in the media (politnavigator.net/takie-raznye-cherkesy-turciya-vzyalas-za-staroe.html).

             But this latest exchange shows for anyone who doubts precisely who is who among Circassian organizations, with the ICA because of Russian support backing anything Moscow does and the others, KAF-FED and Circassian-FED being independent and critical of a regime whose imperialism has harmed them as well as the Ukrainians.