What did the NKVD gain in capturing then executing Yevgeny Miller ?

by OakheartIX

Hello, I know this a very restrictive question and I hope someone knows enough about the Russian All-Military Union to answer this. I recently read about Yevgeny-Ludvig Karlovich Miller and was intrigued by his very eventful life.

I realize why he was an enemy of the NKVD and the Soviets because of his past in the White Army, the All-Military Union and his very anti-bolshevik activities.

My question is was he such a threat that it was worth all the troubles the NKVD took to capture him in Paris, smuggle him to the port of Le Havre then bring him to Moscow ? Was it worth the diplomatic risk with the French police and government ? Was he really such a threat ?

If anyone knows enough, and if there's even sources from the Soviets that exist or are available, then I am quite lucky. But his story really intrigues me.

Artyom_Strelok
  • The first thing to know is that the NKVD were not simply the normal Soviet police; they were also political police and, to a certain degree, a spy agency. Since Miller was acting against the interests of the Soviet Union through the All-Military Union, he could be classified as an 'enemy of the state', which could theoretically justify extrajudicial actions taken against him by Soviet agents.
  • Second, the NKVD answered to Stalin, who is well-known for eliminating political enemies through any means necessary. His enemies were removed from office, imprisoned, sent to Gulags in Siberia, and in extreme instances killed.
  • Third, the Soviets took little "diplomatic risk" over the incident, as it was already isolated internationally. They had little to lose, realistically, and it was doubtful that France could have (or would have) done anything militarily.
  • Finally, Stalin may have perceived a war with the West as inevitable, and wanted to weaken external Russian opposition. Admittedly, this is more of a theory for justification; however, according to Silvio Pons, Soviet isolation may have led Stalin to believe that a war with the West was inevitable, freeing him (figuratively speaking) to make such a bold move.

I know this isn't exactly the most comprehensive answer, but I hope it helps.

Sources:
Alexander Barmine: One Who Survived
Silvio Pons: Stalin and the Inevitable War