Hostage-taking as an extraordinary measure of state coercion and an instrument of red terror in the Southern Urals in 1920-1922

Based on published and archival sources, the practice of hostage-taking in the region at the final stage of the Civil War is investigated. The organizational and regularly foundations and features of the application of this repressive measure are considered. Examples of the use of this tool by various government structures are given. The opinion on the different content of hostage-taking and red banditry is substantiated. The authors conclude that the institution of hostage-taking played a key role in the fight against the insurgency, and was also used as an emergency management tool in various fields.