[ivan_gammel]

> all of the ethnicities in Soviet Russia were declared equal

Declarations and actual policy were very different things in USSR (should I tell anything about Constitution of 1936?).

There were very brutal deportations of some Caucasian nations, of Germans, of Crimean Tatars based solely on ethnicity in 1940s. Many people died from cold and hunger, many children lost their parents. The forced labor (Labor Army) and movement restrictions were in place until mid-1950s and even children upon reaching age of 16 were required to report to local authorities as "special settlers" (I have archive documents from NKVD of such reports for my family). The practice of oppression was in place until end of 1980s: for example, Crimean Tatars were not allowed to return to their homes and were able to do so only in 1990s. Restoration of Autonomous Volga German Republic or creation of German autonomy within USSR in any other form was never allowed despite public demands.

These historical events are well-documented and recognized by government of Russian Federation, which rehabilitated the victims and in 1990s even paid small compensations (in form of increased pension) for these crimes.