Kurdish problem in the period of the First Word War and in the early postwar years in the context of Russian national security and positions of England and Germany

The article is devoted to the liberation aspirations of the Kurdish people, which strengthened during the First World War. The Kurdish nation has been divided between two countries - Iran and Ottoman Turkey (in the Ottoman Empire, it lived in the territory of Turkey, Iraq and Syria). It is emphasized, that the hopes of the Kurdish people of the Ottoman Empire after its collapse to create an independent state were quite real. However, the Great Powers decided to play the "Kurdish card" to strengthen their positions in the Middle East. The article analyzes the Russian position in the Kurdish issue and Kurds hope for help from Russia. It is dealt with the desire of England to make use of national and religious minorities, which were living in the eastern provinces of Turkey, to increase its position in the country. It is given the cooperation of the Young Turk government and Germany. It is shown the purposes of Germany and Turkey, which were in the prewar and war years activated the anti-Russian propaganda among the Kurds and provoked them into the border conflicts with Russia. Conclusion is drawn, that in 1918-1919 were the most suitable for the creation of the Kurdish nation-state, if the Kurdish leaders persevered and were able to persuade Britain and France to this decision. However, the implementation of the provisions of the Treaty of Sevres has assumed the Ottoman state, which does not really exist anymore, and the Ankara government abandoned section of the Turkish lands. In these circumstances, England, France and less extent other countries that have signed the Treaty of Sevres, changed their stance towards the Kurds and their promises. The hopes to establish an independent Kurdish state collapsed.