Afako Fidarov(1859-1930) 

Lieutenant-General, diplomat  

Archive materials, recollections of relatives and contemporaries acquaint us with a high-ranked military leader, diplomat and highly educated man Afako Fidarov. He was a bright member of the progressive intelligentsia of that time and a true patriot. 

Afako Fidarov was born in August 1859 in the village of Zilga in the large family of the officer Patsi Fidarov. Patsi was one of those mountain-dwellers who as a result of a noble impulse volunteered to go to the Danube war. For his service he was awarded with the St.George cross and 75 dessiatins of land near the village Izmailovo in Malaya Kabarda. He’s given education to all of his sons.  

Afako studied in the Petersburg (Konstantinovsky) cavalry school and upon graduation in August 1882 began his military service as a cornet of the Vladikavkaz regiment of the Terskiy Cossack army. A year later he was promoted to sotniks. His career was quite impetuous: head of the 1st sotnia of the Gorno-Mozdokskiy regimental district, for impeccable service was promoted to the rank of esaul. Then, on September 9, 1897 he was sent to Persia on a mission as a Russian instructor. A year after that he was decorated with the Persian Order of the Lion and the Sun, then with the Prussian Order of the Crown. A few months later Afako received a very dear and unique award – a Persian gemmy sword. In July 1903 according to the Highest order he was sent to the special Dzhulfinsky squadron located at the Persian border. The Russia-Japan war found lieutenant colonel Fidarov in the Tersko-Kubansky regiment of the Caucasian cavalry brigade. With the regiment he is crossing the Manchzhurian border and finds himself in the center of military operations. For the courage in the battles near Lagoulin as part of the 10th army squadron and near Liaojan (on the Shakhe river) he was decorated with the II degree St.Anne’s Order and elevated to the rank of colonel. For the colonel Fidarov the new year of 1905 started with heavy fighting at Inkou, near the village Sandepu. Fearing encirclement under Mukden Russian army had to retreat to Sypingai positions (160 kms to the north of Mukden). A few battles took place in June-August 1905 but the war had already been lost. Although there were heroes with outstanding courage, the disbanded army was going back to Russia. Highly educated officer (he was speaking 7 foreign languages) Fidarov was consistently recruited by the government to go on diplomatic missions to Persia, Afghanistan. For his excellent service he was decorated with the I-st degree Order of St.Stanislav and promoted to the rank of major-general. 

In August 1913 a new promotion was due – he became commander of the 1st Turkestan division. Soon after that, as his military fate willed, he is again in Persia. Petersburg is satisfied with his activity, the Persian khan showered gifts upon him, one of the streets in Ardebille was named after him. 

His diplomatic career was less successful than a military one. He was in the Persian’s khan residence when he became aware of the 1917 revolution in his country. Neither khan’s persuasion nor promises of promotions could make Afako stay in Persia. He has taken a clear-cut decision: “I must be with my people no matter what”. In December 1917 Afako returned to his native village of Zilga and became a civilian. He was very popular in Kabarda, Ingushetia not only as a General but also as a wise and friendly adviser. Grievous was the fate of this brave general. 

In early 1930 he was repressed and later shot. He was rehabilitated posthumously in 1989. 

Based on the book “Sons of Motherland” by G.T.Dzagurova  

Translated by Andrei Varava