See main article: Dissolution of the Russian Empire. Pro-independence movements in the Russian Civil War within the territory of the former Russian Empire sought the creation of independent nation states that were not aligned with the Bolsheviks after the October Revolution. Many pro-independence movements emerged after the dissolution of the Russian Empire and fought in the Russian Civil War.[1]
The following list presents some of the pro-independence movements and the conflicts they were involved in during this period.
Finland (independence from 1917)
Finnish Civil War
Estonia (independence from 1918)
Latvia (independence from 1918)
Lithuania (independence from 1918)Lithuanian Wars of Independence
Red Army invasion of Azerbaijan
With the exception of the Baltic states, the pro-independence movements were ultimately unsuccessful in achieving their goals, with most territories succumbing to Soviet rule. Pro-independence sentiment remained in exile, with Prometheism being promoted in interwar Poland. National movements reactivated during Glasnost and Perestroika, leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the independence of all constituent republics. Pro-independence sentiment within the borders of the Russian Federation continued to exist, most notably in Chechnya and Tatarstan, and the issue has regained relevance following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.