Uprising of prisoners in Ust-Usa (Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic) in 1942

The present study examines the socio-political aspects of the uprising of prisoners, which took place in Ust-Usa (Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic) in early 1942 in one of the northern camps. This was the first organized armed demonstration of prisoners in the GULAG system. The idea and attempt to implement it were determined primarily by the military factor. The study provides characteristic of the main organizers of this mass crime (Retyunin, Makeev, etc.). It shows the reasons why the uprising was initially destined for failure. There is substantiated the author’s position, according to which there is no reason to consider the participants of the Ust-Usa Uprising as fighters against the totalitarian regime, as it is presented in some publications. At the same time, this does not mean that GULAG did not violate the rights and freedoms of prisoners. However, the goal of the search for truth does not imply only demonizing such a tough time of the Soviet history.