DISINFO: The Georgian language and culture were protected under the USSR
SUMMARY
Georgia and Russia have common history. They stood by each other in good times and bad times[…]. The Georgian language and culture were protected under the USSR.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on Georgian and Russian history, aiming at portraying Russia as a brotherly nation with common Orthodox faith. In fact, Georgia was forcefully incorporated first into Russian Empire in 1801 and then into the USSR. In 1801 Russia annexed the Kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti. Subsequently, Russia also annexed other kingdoms and principalities of Georgia. In 1811 Russian Empire abolished the autocephaly of the Georgian church. In 1921 Red Army entered Georgia and sovereign, democratic republic of Georgia was demolished. In the second decade of the 20th century, the Bolsheviks shut down more than a thousand churches and abolished church services. During 1921-1953, 1 305 churches were closed, function of one part was changed, the other part was destroyed. Churches were massively remodeled as houses, warehouses or village lodges. In 1978 the Georgian language became threatened, when the Soviet leadership wanted to remove from the Constitution the notion of official state language. See more on historical revisionism here.