The arrangements of militia institutions in Primorsky region (Primorye) in 1917-1922

There are many unexplored facts in the history of the Primorye internal affairs agencies during the Civil War of 1917-1922. The available literature (primarily of the Soviet period) is characterized by the ideological clichés which distort the real content of the processes that have taken place. In particular, the underinvestigated issues include the influence of the revolutionary events in February and October 1917 on the fate of the Primorye interior affairs agencies as well as the frequent changes in political regimes during the Civil War. The article reviews the arrangements of the Primorye militia institutions in the context of Civil War when it has been de facto (and de jure in 1921-1922) cut off from the main territory of the RSFSR. The specific features of the militia institutions development during the studied period demonstrated that in the terms of the relative autonomy of Primorye, the local authorities had to define the most acceptable forms of their structure, number, powers, and activities. The article is based on documents of the State Archives of the Russian Federation (Moscow), Russian State Historical Archives of Far East (Vladivostok), and periodicals.