Personal factor in the process of Tuvan statehood formation: the case of I.G. Safianov (1917-1921)

History of Tuva, from the earliest times to the end ofthe 20th century is one of the most interesting themes in Russian history. The most significant for the people living in the territory ofTuva, was the 20th century, with such important events for it as the establishment of a protectorate over the Uriankhai region of theRussian Empire in 1914, the formation of the Tuva People's Republic in 1921 and its entry into the USSR in 1944. The great impact onthe history of Tuva had personalities. One of such people was Innokentiy G. Safianov. He was born in 1875 in a family of a Minusinskmerchant who lively traded between the Russians and Tuvinians in the border area. In 1889, he was expelled from school for distributingbanned literature and publishing a school newspaper. After that, his father decided to take him into his business, and sent him toTuva. Innokentiy studied everyday life of Tuva during this period, despite the obstacles in the face of the Manchurians. After his fatherdied in 1913, Innokentiy was elected chairman of the Russian-Uriankhai Zemstvo (region). During this period there was a question ofaccession of Uriankhai area to Russia, which Mongolia actively resisted. Safianov began to form an opinion that Uriankhai regionshould be independent of anyone else. In 1916, the tsarist administration sent I. Safianov of Tuva. In Minusinsk for courageous advocacyof his people, being the editor of the local newspaper Minusinsk Sheet, he was arrested at the end of the same year. After the FebruaryRevolution, from April to August 1917, Safianov became a commissioner of Minusinsk prison, then Minusinsk head. In November1917, the Bolsheviks elected Safianov to the Military Revolutionary Executive Committee, in December he became a member of theaudit committee of the banks, and was elected to the finance department and the commissioner of prison affairs. In March 1918 he ledan expedition to Uriankhai region, which helped to establish Soviet power in Tuva. I.G. Safianov was working hard to sensitise thepopulation about how to arrange their lives in the autonomous and independent state. On August 13, 1921 the All-Tuva ConstitutiveHural with representatives of the nine districts of Tuva was established. Safianov opened the work of the congress with a speech. At thecongress the question was discussed about the relations of Tuva and the Soviet Russia, Tannu Tuva and Mongolia, the controversialRussian-Tuvan affairs, trade, land issues. The result was the formation of a separate independent state - Tuvan People's Republic.I.G. Safianov played an important role in creating the independent state of Tuva and the adoption of the Constitution of Tuva in 1921,made a major contribution into the young state.

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