User:Borz/Sandbox

Personal sandbox for all topics

Waynakhia

Works for completion.

General tasks:

• align page contents with AV2 lore
• more images, more W links, more Main links
• change major relations to Europe

History section:

• Mongol Empire section needs to be cleared up, more concise, dates of events, if possible to get
• review neutrality of writing style
• Russian Empire section first paragraph needs to be reworded for better flow

GW history:

• removal of GW1 and GW2 references
• addition of plain GW references and adjust dates

20th Century:

• update history around GW period including dates of events
• update independence era
• independence directly, rather than British mandate
• key people in 20th century period, especially in post-war period
• economic info needs to be improved
• more specific information on modernisation programme like a name of the project
• Cold War needs more detailed info on goals and objectives, what they achieve for the country
• pivot content more towards European allies, especially UK, Germany and Anatolia, rather than N American

Annexation of the Aukh:

• needs modified lore, is not realistic to assume magical peaceful extension of the borders even in this universe
• one idea - initial Dagestani invasion of eastern Waynakhia is repelled, then successfully pushed into Aukh. Perhaps extended and slow conflict across 5-6 years.

Contemporary 21st century history:

• economic development, especially oil and kerosene industry, need more attention as a topic area
• European integration and relations, possibly through support of UK, Germany, and pacifist post-war Russia
• more images, in general

Province pages:

• need to add more info and images in these

Waynakhia Sandbox

OLD

Waynakhia (Waynakh: Waynexaçö, IPA: /waɪ'na.xɪ.ə/), officially the Republic of Waynakhia (Waynakh: Waynexaçönan Paçẋalq), is a sovereign state in the North Caucasus, Europe. Waynakhia consists of 24 provinces and 2 city regions with an equal status to the provinces. Waynakhia is bordered with Russia to the north and west, Georgia to the south, Dagestan to the south-east, and has a coast on the Caspian Sea to the east. The country has a total land area of 24,250 sq km, and a population of 2,239,954 at the 2020 census. The capital and largest city by population in Waynakhia is Sölƶa-Ġala, with a population of 245,911 at the 2020 census. Other large cities of the country include Gümsa, Näsare, Şela, Şolƶa-Pẋa, Xasi-Ġala, and Ẋalxa-Marta.

The earliest widespread human activity known in Waynakhia is from 12,500 BCE from ancient cave settlements with evidence of fire and tools. The earliest trace of human activity was around the area of Q̇özana 'Am dated to 40,000 BCE. In the first few centuries CE, the Nakh regions were almost constantly invaded, and the historical Nakh states formed close alliances with Georgia to the south. The state of Durdzuketia was formed, and grew in power and influence through the first millennium BCE and into the first few centuries CE. In the Middle Ages, the Nakh societies were often under foreign rule, but this was eventually overthrown, with Durdzuketia continuing to exist along with Simsir, another ancient Nakh state. The Mongol invasions destabilized the Nakh states, which eventually regained their independence and power. Later, arrival of Cossacks on the west bank of the Terka River led to increased conflicts.

The Caucasus Imamate, which included many Caucasian ethnicities, was annexed to the Russian Empire in 1858. It was re-established in 1918 as the Mountain Republic, but it was annexed back to Russia in 1923 after the Russian monarchy was abolished. The Mountain Republic was split apart, and the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Oblast was created in 1926 under the military dictatorship. This region continued to exist up to 1948, when it became the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Republic within the Russian Federation. For the next three years, the republic enjoyed higher autonomy within the Federation with the right to its own constitution. This was suddenly ended in 1951 when the Russian Derzhavist Party came to power, with the Controlling Act giving all rights to power to the dictator of the state. The regions of the North Caucasus were completely reorganized, and the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Republic was divided into the Chechen region and Ingush region (Chechnya and Ingushetia), and all rights to autonomy were taken away and the regional constitution was abolished.

The period from 1951 onwards marked severe decrease in living standards in the regions. The Derzhavist government focused discrimination on Ukrainian, Polish and Baltic peoples, and while ethnic cleansing was narrowly avoided in the Caucasus, the region was still severely affected by the 1953-56 Highland Expulsions, where non-Russian ethnicities in the Caucasus Mountains were expelled from mountain and highland settlements to the lowlands, which led to massive cultural destruction, poverty, unemployment, overcrowding and outbreaks of disease among the general population. Moreover, many Chechens and Ingush as well as other ethnic groups from the Caucasus Mountains were forced to work in factories during the Great War II to replace ethnic Russians, producing various weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the war effort, with very poor and unclean working conditions and little to no pay.

In 1957, Derzhavist Russia fell to the Allies. Following the Great War II, the allies wanted to curb the extent and influence of Russia, leading to the 1960-71 Partition of Russia, with zones of occupation being formed between Sierra, Germany and the United Kingdom. North Caucasus regions became a part of the British Mandate from 1960. The original plan was for an All-Russian state to remain after the Joint Mandate, but in the 1968 Moscow Summit, the idea was entertained by the Allies to create permanent and independent states out of Russia. The Highland Expulsions made the creation of new states difficult, as ethnic lines which had been clear before the expulsions had been blurred or disappeared completely. The new state of Vaynakhia was created from the Chechen region, the Ingush region and parts of the Avar region and Stavropol region. Under the British Mandate, Vaynakhia and the other new Caucasus states existed in relative peace, but severe ethnic conflicts rose up in the late 1970s and 1980s due to disagreements over new borders and ethnic groups being divided by borders of different states, leading to the Caucasus Wars. The conflict caused mass migration to Europe and the Middle East of many people from Caucasian ethnic groups, and it reached a peak in 1989, leading to a European- and Anatolian-led peace restoration and reconstruction mission for 10 years with the goal of resolving border conflicts and creating economic recovery. Ethnic reconciliation was achieved in the 1990s, and each state had redefined borders mainly to reflect historical homelands and secondly to allow ease of trade, in order to recover the shattered economies of the Caucasus states. As a result, the borders of Vaynakhia were extended east to the Caspian Sea.

Since 1999, Waynakhia has enjoyed relatively stable economic growth, consistently among the highest of the SECA union. It is considered as a developing capitalist economy, ranked as "very high" on the Human Development Index since 2018. Political and economic relations are close with major trade partners such as other SECA member states, and like much of the Caucasus, the country retains close ties with the United Kingdom. Apart from SECA, Waynakhia is a part of the League of Nations, OPEC, and several more international organizations.

NEW

Waynakhia (Waynakh: Waynexaçö, IPA: /'wəɪ.na.xɪ.ə/), officially the Republic of Waynakhia (Waynakh: Waynexaçönan Paçẋalq), is a sovereign state in the North Caucasus, Europe. Waynakhia consists of 24 provinces and 2 city regions with an equal status to the provinces. Waynakhia is bordered with Russia to the north and west, Georgia to the south, Dagestan to the south-east, and has a coast on the Caspian Sea to the east. The country has a total land area of 24,250 sq km, and a population of 2,239,954 at the 2020 census. The capital and largest city by population in Waynakhia is Sölƶa-Ġala, with a population of 245,911 at the 2020 census. Other large cities of the country include Gümsa, Näsare, Şela, Şolƶa-Pẋa, Xasi-Ġala, and Ẋalxa-Marta.

The earliest widespread human activity known in Waynakhia is from 12,500 BCE from ancient cave settlements with evidence of fire and tools. The earliest trace of human activity was around the area of Q̇özana 'Am dated to 40,000 BCE. In the first few centuries CE, the Nakh regions were almost constantly invaded, and the historical Nakh states formed close alliances with Georgia to the south. The state of Durdzuketia was formed, and grew in power and influence through the first millennium BCE and into the first few centuries CE. In the Middle Ages, the Nakh societies were often under foreign rule, but this was eventually overthrown, with Durdzuketia continuing to exist along with Simsir, another ancient Nakh state. The Mongol invasions destabilized the Nakh states, which eventually regained their independence and power. Later, arrival of Cossacks on the west bank of the Terka River led to increased conflicts.

The Caucasus Imamate, which included the Waynakh people, was annexed to the Russian Empire in 1858. Independence was re-established in 1918 with the Mountain Republic, but it was annexed back to Russia in 1923, after the establishment of Derzhavist Russia, which quickly invaded and absorbed numerous smaller states. The Mountain Republic was split up, and the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Oblast was created from part of it, with the Controlling Act of 1923 providing supreme power to the Russian leader. The region continued to exist in similar borders up to 1929, when the Russian Derzhavist Party reorganised the North Caucasus region politically, and all rights to autonomy were removed, resulting the Chechen-Ingush Region being created. While the Derzhavist government initially promoted conservative North Caucasian cultures and societies as an ideal model for the rest of the state, this began to change as the state radicalised, beginning to despise all ethnic minorities and considering Russian Slavs to be superior.

The period from 1932 onwards marked a significant decrease in living standards in the region. The Derzhavist government primarily discriminated against Ukrainian, Polish and Baltic peoples, and the Chechen-Ingush population were initially spared from the worst discrimination. However, the continued promotion of Slavic culture as 'superior' eventually led to the Caucasus being targeted - aggressive militarisation of the state and society, along with ethnic-religious segregation within the army, led to Caucasian peoples being increasingly attacked by the Derzhavist state. While ethnic cleansing was narrowly avoided in most of the Caucasus, it was still severely impacted by the Highland Expulsions of 1932-34, where non-Russian ethnicities in the Caucasus Mountains were expelled from mountain and highland settlements to the lowlands. Ethnic identities of regions across the Caucasus were largely erased. The Chechen-Ingush Region was renamed in February 1932 to the Grozny Region, with major territorial changes designed to heavily dilute the ethnic makeup of the population, encouraging Slavic settlers to move to the area, and to divide Caucasian peoples between regions while destroying any cultural identity.

With the outbreak of the Great War, the region's oil production became essential to the Russian war effort. While many Russian Slavs were prioritised as soldiers, Chechen-Ingush people were soon forced massively to replace the mobilised ethnic Russians, working in the oil production industry or in factories producing weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Russian war effort, widely in very poor and unclean conditions for little to no pay. This led to mass poverty and outbreaks of disease in the region, causing a dramatic decline of up to 50% of the native population throughout the next two years. By late 1935, anti-Derzhavist sentiment was spreading across the Caucasus, with underground resistance beginning region-wide. The Chechen-Ingush population took part in the resistance, and in 1936, limited funding from the Allied states towards revolutionaries in the Caucasus began. The region became loudly outspoken in its anti-war sentiment, and with Russia heavily occupied on the Eastern Front, limited attention was paid by the Derzhava to rebellions in the Caucasus.

Following the fall of Derzhavist Russia in 1938, the Allies wanted to curb Russia's extent and influence, and entertained the idea of creating new, permanently independent states out of it. The intention was to turn them into economically and militarily strong, European-aligned allies, which would become independent after a period of Allied occupation and supervision. The Highland Expulsions made the creation of new states in the Caucasus difficult, as ethnic lines which had been clear before the expulsions had been blurred or disappeared completely. It led to the restoration of pre-1932 regional borders, including for the Chechen-Ingush region, in addition to extra Russian territory as a buffer against any future Russian invasion. By 1941, the region had become known as Checheno-Ingushetia, and upon independence in (TBD year), Vainakhia.

While the region existed in relative peace under Allied supervision, severe ethnic conflicts rose up in the 1960s-80s, largely due to disagreements over populations, borders and resources, ultimately leading to the Caucasus Wars. They caused mass migration to Europe and the Middle East of many people from Caucasian ethnic groups, including from Waynakhia and neighbouring Dagestan due to the (TBD conflict). Reaching a peak in (TBD year), a European and Anatolian-led intervention launched, aiming to restore peace, rebuild the shattered Caucasus economies, and further integrate the region with Europe. As a result of (TBD WY-DA conflict), the Waynakh annexation of Aukh occurred, extending the country's borders eastwards to the Caspian Sea.

Since 1999, Waynakhia has enjoyed relatively stable economic growth, consistently among the highest of the SECA union. It is considered as a developing capitalist economy, ranked as "very high" on the Human Development Index since 2018. Political and economic relations are close with major trade partners such as other SECA member states, and like much of the Caucasus, the country retains close ties with Germany and the United Kingdom. Apart from SECA, Waynakhia is a part of the European Community, League of Nations, OPEC, and several more international organizations.

Aukh War

Towards the end of the 1970s, the Dagestani government, facing increased social and ethnic discord and severe under-development of infrastructure and agriculture in the country, began to turn increasingly aggressive towards Waynakhia, demanding the return of the Aukh district, which was repeatedly rejected by Waynakhia. The government of Dagestan also became increasingly unwelcoming towards citizens of non-Dagestani ethnicity, with policies to increase the number of Dagestani peoples in the lowland regions, at the expense of other peoples including Nogais, Russians, and Waynakhs, with protests repeatedly crushed by armed forces and police. The situation exploded in 1978, when the Dagestani government claimed sovereignty over the Aukh district, and Dagestani armed forces and numerous civilians entered the area. In self-defence against the violation of its sovereign borders, with the approval of German and British allies, Waynakhia sent its own armed forces into the district, where residents and authorities attempted to drive out the Dagestani army. The situation escalated further, with Dagestan declaring war on Waynakhia, continuing the Caucasus Wars.

The conflict initially focused on the Aukh district, with Dagestan initially occupying much of the area, but boiled over further when the armed forces pushed into several other districts of Waynakhia in late 1979, with the intention of restoring its borders to those created by the Derzhavist authorities. While Waynakhia initially lost a large part of its territory, it organised its own armed forces and launched a major counter-attack in early 1980, to push Dagestani armed forces out of its territory. Calling on European allies for support, the Waynakh government connected the Dagestani government's actions to those of Derzhavist Russia, describing its leadership as the "re-manifestation of the Derzhava" and stating that its power had to "be expelled from Waynakh lands at all costs". The Waynakh counter-offensive saw successes in the spring of 1980, with the eastern part of the Gumsa district liberated, along with parts of other mountain districts. European armies refused to send manpower to the region, but supported Waynakhia with ammunition, weapons and vehicles; Waynakh successes increased further in 1980 and into 1981, with increasing recovery of highland regions, including parts of Chebarla and Shara, where Dagestani authorities had attempted to resettle Dagestani peoples to and had claimed annexation.

While most spectators believed that Waynakhia only intended to return to its original borders, concern appeared when the Waynakh armed forces launched an offensive into the Khasavyurt Province of Dagestan, though it was described as a 'buffer zone' to protect Waynakhia's borders and to restore peace in Waynakh-majority settlements in Dagestan. Despite falling supply of equipment and resources by European allies, due to the perceived success of the Waynakh counter-offensive, the country continued to advance. In 1982, following a second and more powerful Dagestani offensive into Aukh district, allied support for Waynakhia increased once more, with new supplies of equipment. Waynakhia launched a surprise offensive in the summer of 1982, with a crossing of the Terka River into the lightly defended Babayurt Province of Dagestan. Despite initial losses, the country gained a foothold on the opposite bank, especially due to presence of Waynakh-populated settlements along the Dagestani bank of the river.

Dagestan began to relocate forces from the Aukh front to the Waynakh incursions in Khasavyurt and Babayurt provinces, with the conflict largely stalling over the winter, before resuming again in the spring of 1983. Despite initial Waynakh losses of around half of its held territory at the Babayurt front, renewed success appeared at the Khasavyurt front, largely driven by Waynakh successes in the region's Waynakh-populated settlements. Dagestan continued to push into southern Aukh and attempt to push Waynakh forces out of Babayurt and Khasavyurt provinces, though a renewed Waynakh counter-offensive, across the barely populated north of Babayurt Province, cutting off much of the area from the Kizlyar Province, and in northern Aukh, led to a partial collapse in Dagestani front lines, partially due to disorganisation in its armed forces, as well as co-ordinated 'feigned retreat' tactics by Waynakh forces. The resulting major Dagestani loss at the Battle of Bammatyurt in May 1983 was seen as catastrophic, due to limited presence of forces beyond the area, enabling a rapid Waynakh advance into the east and south-east of the Khasavyurt province, along with resulting close proximity of Waynakh forces to Khasavyurt City. The Waynakh government soon announced that the policy of guaranteed rights to all citizens would extend from the Aukh district to all of the occupied territories in Dagestan, as well as calling for international organisations, including the Red Cross, to supervise the territories.

By June 1983, the feigned retreat tactic had led to collapses of the frontline further north, most significantly at Lyuksemburg and Germenchik in the Babayurt province with Waynakhia cutting the Khasavyurt-Babayurt Highway, and the Khasavyurt front had shifted as far east as the village of Kostek and administrative boundary of the Khasavyurt province, where the situation began to stabilise. After its advances further to the east, Waynakh forces began to uncover signs of Dagestani 'scorched earth' tactics, with forced evacuations and wholesale destruction of settlements, as well as apparent ethnic cleansing of non-Dagestani peoples. Despite international outrage and calls from Waynakhia for an advance into the Kizlyar Province, the Terka River was used mainly as a defence line by both countries, apart from small-scale raids across the river. As the summer of 1983 progressed, the Battle of Babayurt began, where Waynakh forces arrived from the north. A provincial capital, Babayurt was a key target, leading to a major Dagestani counter-offensive gradually succeeding with the city's defence.

As an attempt to distract and redirect Waynakh forces, Dagestani forces launched small-scale offensives against the Shara, Chebarla and Aukh districts, with successes in retaking Waynakh settlements in some areas. While Waynakhia did respond in the region, mainly by stabilising the front, it continued its main efforts in Babayurt Province, pushing towards the mouth of the Terka River towards the end of the 1983 year. With the Khasavyurt front stable and no major advances ongoing, some Dagestani forces were withdrawn from the area to defend Babayurt.

On 1 January 1984, a surprise offensive was launched against Khasavyurt City, with the rapid occupation of several northern Waynakh-majority city districts within hours of the start of the year, as well as a Waynakh advance to the Aktash River, on the eastern outskirts of the city. Dagestani forces in the city had engaged Waynakh forces by the end of the day, preventing further advances. With Dagestan's forces already stretched, and initial support from Azerbaijan fading as Waynakh success mounted, the defence of the Terka River estuary began to falter, leading to a partial Dagestani withdrawal from the barren steppe in the area. The intention was to defend Kizlyar Province and use the Terka River as a defensive line, due to the strong fortifications on both banks, as well as credible signs and threats of an upcoming Waynakh offensive. However, no Waynakh advance occurred across the river, with Waynakh troops cutting off the Kizlyar Province from Dagestan, following the withdrawal. With few populated settlements remaining in the east of the province, the Waynakh armed forces in the Babayurt Province began to focus towards the south-west, targeting Babaw-Yurt once again. Dagestani forces in Kizlyar Province attempted to cross the river multiple times in the east, with limited breakthroughs against Waynakh defense, but lack of presence of infrastructure prevented large-scale establishment of positions or large battles in the territory.

By the start of February, Waynakhia had established positions further south between Kokrek and Khasavyurt, though multiple attempts to cross the Aktash River into the city had failed. With the only remaining Dagestani supply route to the city passing through Endirei and the nearby Dylym Highway, to the south, a large-scale campaign began in the southern Aukh district, attempting to dislodge the southern Dagestani line, with the northern line south-west from Khasavyurt held stable. The battle at Babayurt also continued, with slow Waynakh advances in settlements to the south and east of the city and heavy losses in the process.

In March 1984, Waynakhia launched a feigned retreat at positions near to the administrative border between Khasavyurt and Kizilyurt provinces, claiming that it planned to focus on Khasavyurt City. Dagestani forces soon attempted to move forwards, but Waynakh forces launched a major offensive, surrounding Aknada town and Chontaul town, advancing to the Sulak River, as well as along the Caucasus Highway to positions south of Zubutli and Bautugai. The road connection leading to Endirei was cut, with mountainous terrain blocking further advances by either side, also isolating Dagestani positions at Kokrek from supplies. The town was bombarded and largely destroyed when Dagestan refused to surrender it.

By the end of April in 1984, fierce battles within Khasavyurt were ongoing, as well as in Aukh district, with Waynakh forces attempting to completely cut the bombarded Dylym Highway. The previous stalemate in the four-month battle at Babayurt ended with a Waynakh advance into Gemetyube town, cutting the highway to Anji-Kala. Dagestani forces began to evacuate the remaining Babayurt population through the nearby town Alimpasha-Yurt, before feigning surrender, engaging scorched earth tactics and preparing to fiercely bombard the town from positions in Kizlyar Province and also to the south of the city. In early May 1984, when Waynakh forces finally entered the town, a coordinated Dagestani campaign to destroy it had started, similar to the destruction of Kokrek months earlier by Waynakhia, leading to heavy Waynakh losses and surprise attacks by remaining Dagestani forces. The attack led to major Waynakh losses, though the otherwise complete surrounding of the town resulted in Waynakh victory.

The battle at Khasavyurt was ongoing at this time. After the occupation of Babayurt and vicinity by Waynakh forces, troops were largely relocated to Khasavyurt, with smaller groups sent to add defence to the Terka River front and others directed to the south-east, engaging small-scale offensives near small settlements along the highway. Major defensive lines had been prepared across the Sulak River, in a similar pattern to those along the Terka River in Kizlyar, to block Waynakh forces from advancing further, though the summer months saw low-scale success at the few remaining settlements in the area. Waynakh forces eventually reached the Caspian Sea coast and sandbar at Sulak, isolating Agrakhan Peninsula and bypassing the heavily fortified Sulak town, the final settlement north of Sulak river.

By August 1984, Waynakh and Dagestani forces were engaged in high-level and intense battles within Khasavyurt City. With equipment support from both countries' allies stopping, in protest at the ongoing disaster in the city, the Waynakh government extended a ceasefire offer to the government of Dagestan, in exchange for establishing a corridor for citizens to exit the city. The Dagestani government declined at first, but later reversed the decision, agreeing to a 7-day ceasefire in the city. On 18 August 1984, the ceasefire began, leading to the evacuation of over 40,000 citizens from across the city, and invitation of humanitarian agencies to oversee the process and enter the city until 24 August. Agencies had been unable to access the city for almost a year, due to Dagestani restrictions.

High-level negotiations, mediated by Germany, occurred throughout the week, to maintain the ceasefire, leading to a 24-hour extension. By 25 August, Khasavyurt was mostly empty, with the evacuation largely completed, including movement of those in hospitals to health facilities across Dagestan and Waynakhia, with the Waynakh government promoting its policy to guarantee the rights of all people in the territories it had occupied. In the early morning hours of 26 August, after the expiration of the ceasefire, unarmed Waynakh forces moved along the road from Gachalqa to the Dylym Highway, cutting the final supply route into the city for Dagestani forces. The Waynakh armed forces within the city and elsewhere, maintained the ceasefire. Dagestani forces did not engage with unarmed Waynakh forces, and when the news reached the Waynakh government in the late morning of 26 August of the surrounding of Khasavyurt, it notified European allies, it offered to begin negotiations with Dagestan, while moving lightly armed troops to the Dylym Highway. With no supply routes into the city and limited chances of any further advance, the Dagestani government surrendered through mediation with Germany. By the afternoon of 26 August, news of the Dagestani surrender reached the Waynakh government.

Beginning of negotiations

With the ceasefire becoming permanent by the end of 26 August, the Waynakh government declared that it was "finished with" the fighting, and the full evacuation of the city was agreed, including safe passage of remaining Dagestani troops and officials to Endirei, followed by the entrance of humanitarian agencies into the city with the support of the Waynakh armed forces for safety.

Negotiations began with Germany as mediator in early September. Both Waynakhia and Dagestan struggled to reach agreements in the beginning, especially as information from within the two occupied Dagestani provinces began to emerge, and Dagestani demands for a Waynakh withdrawal from both provinces were refused. Progress was initially very slow. The first agreements between the two countries were reached in October, on the southern Waynakh provinces of Chebarla and Shara, where Dagestan agreed to withdraw forces to the recognised international border by the end of the year. There continued to be slow progress with the negotiations into 1985, with Dagestan continuing to demand Waynakhia's withdrawal from the territories it had occupied. Waynakhia declined the demand, stating that it would not consider the possibility until elections were held in Dagestan. For several months, the ceasefire remained fragile, with negotiations stuck.

As the situation continued, protests began to emerge in Dagestan, as well as in Waynakh-occupied territory, demanding a deal be reached. The Waynakh government broke the freeze on negotiations by offering to allow international observation in the occupied parts of Dagestan, if the country held an election. The offer was refused at first, but the Dagestani government, facing increasing protests and real danger of a coup attempt in the already shattered country, eventually agreed in May 1985, to hold an election in the following months.

July 1985 saw the holding of the election under heavy international observation, in which the opposition (TBD) party won with a small majority, in part due to unprecedented success in the Kizlyar Province, which had been cut off from the rest of the country for several years. The previous government initially refused to accept the result, and the situation became aggravated by Waynakh government stating that "the reborn Derzhavist Party has been removed from power". The result was eventually accepted.

By August 1985, the two governments had begun to negotiate more broadly, especially due to popular demands in both countries for a peace agreement. With the Dagestani opposition accepting the claim that Dagestan was the aggressor state in the conflict, negotiations led to several agreements, including free passage of citizens between the occupied and unoccupied territories, as well as Dagestani withdrawal from remaining occupied territories in the Aukh district, along with confirmation that ceasefire was permanent. However, the issue of territory remained central to the failure to reach an agreement throughout September.

In October 1985, following a new round of negotiations, the Dagestani government agreed to pay reparations for damages within Waynakh territory, with Waynakhia agreeing to pay reparations for damages within Dagestan. Germany also agreed to invest a small amount of the total in the reconstruction of the region, in exchange for the two countries integrating further with Europe. Both countries had accepted the offer, but by the end of negotiations, the issue of territory remained frozen: Dagestan continued to call for "unconditional and total withdrawal" of Waynakh forces from the occupied areas, but Waynakhia refused the withdrawal, describing Dagestan's previous government as "wholly aggressive" and that it "continued Derzhavist-style policies in these territories against non-Dagestani ethnic groups". The Waynakh government made clear that it "recognised that the citizens and government of Dagestan are completely different", and noted again that it would protect the rights of all people in the occupied areas.

By December 1995, a breakthrough had been reached in negotiations: while the Waynakh government had said there was "no possibility" of a withdrawal from the occupied areas, citing that the ceasefire had established the current lines of control, it also "did not want" to occupy or otherwise enter the Kizlyar Province. With significant pressure from Germany, Dagestan agreed to recognise the full occupation of Babayurt and Khasavyurt provinces, as well as the western part of Kizilyurt Province, on conditions that it would be a demilitarised territory, and that Dagestan could continue to use road and air networks to supply Kizlyar Province, along with guarantees on the safety and freedom of the civilian population. The offer also specified that the issue of future holding of the territory would be resolved within 10 years by a referendum on a settlement-level basis. The Waynakh government, with German persuasion and pressure, accepted the offer, stating that it would bring back peace to the region.

Waynakh annexation of Aukh

By the summer of 1995, many citizens had left the occupied areas and returned to the remaining part of Dagestan. The Waynakh and Nogai population in the occupied territories had increased considerably, with the Kumuk population also beginning to return.

The referendum on the issue of the territory's future was held in September 1995, with results largely appearing along ethnic lines - Nogai and Waynakh settlements largely voted in favour of joining Waynakhia, while Kumuk and Avar settlements had voted to return to Dagestan. However, with the majority of votes in both provinces written in favour of Waynakhia, the Waynakh government agreed to grant dual citizenship to all residents of the occupied territories, by providing Waynakh citizenship and allowing maintained Dagestani citizenship. With contention, both countries agreed to the offer under German pressure to restore peace and to allow German and British peacekeeping presence in the area. Protests occurred in cities across both countries, including in Khasavyurt. By December 1995, the Waynakh government had incorporated Khasavyurt Province and Babayurt Province into the country as Khasi-Gala District (including the occupied part of Kizilyurt District), and Babayurt District (including the Agrakhan Peninsula and Noxchi-Gaire Island), in an event now known as the Waynakh annexation of Aukh.

Long-term protests in Avar-majority settlements, especially in the south of Khasi-Gala District, led to the Waynakh government agreeing in 1996, again under German pressure, to allow the settlements a future referendum on their status and possibility of re-joining Dagestan.

20th Century history rework

Lore to rewrite:

• [DONE] GW1, interwar period, GW2. There is only one Great War.
• [DONE] Derzhavist Russia had been established in 1923.
• [WIP] Reorganisation of the Caucasus: now in 1929.
• [WIP] Fall in living standards: now from 1932.
• [WIP] Great War from 1932-38. Secret Allied funding for rebellions from 1936 ?
• [DONE] Establishment of independence: move from 1971 to 1941 ?
• [WIP] Reconstruction and Allied supervision through 50s, possibly to 60s.
• [WIP] Aukh War: 1978-84.
• [DONE] Intervention by Europe: 1984 to 1990.
• [DONE] Waynakh annexation of Aukh: 1995.
• [DONE] Europe membership: 2005.
• [DONE] Most lore can maintain from 1999 onwards, but needs to be tweaked so can follow AV2's lore.

Economy rework

• rework into a Europe-focused lore, focusing more on Germany, UK, possibly pacifist post-war Russia, and integration with Europe.
• rework the dates of things, because events have been changed.
• we need to give more attention to the oil and kerosene industries.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Waynakhia

Sölƶa-Ġala's city centre and central business district is a major business and financial hub of the Caucasus.

The economy of Waynakhia is a moderately to highly-developed, mixed, market-oriented economy. The country's nominal GDP output in 2023 was $61.995 billion as measured in the Sierran dollar, making it the 88th largest economy in the world. Waynakhia's economic output fell sharply following the Caucasian Wars, especially the Dagestan-Waynakhia Conflict, but recovered through the 1990s and 2000s, with double-digit growth due to broad economic and political reforms. Apart from a brief recession during the 2008 financial crisis, the country's economy has grown steadily since, becoming a relatively well-functioning market economy by 2005, when it joined the European Community. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, anti-corruption and pro-business reforms helped to strengthen the economy, while the mixed news-media environment makes the country's press relatively free.

For much of its history, what is now Waynakhia had an agrarian economy, with little to no industrialisation. This continued until the Russian Empire's annexation of the region in the 19th century, when the oil industry emerged, and became a major form of industry in the area for almost a century, with other industries developing through the early 20th century. The Great War and Highland Expulsions decimated the agricultural economy, and eliminated all economic activity in the country's southern mountainous regions. Moreover, many people who were expelled from their homes in the mountains endured forced labour during the Great War, mostly to replace Russian settlers, who had largely been drafted by the Derzhavist government to fight on the front lines. When the Allies made progress in the conflict, many people in the North Caucasus rebelled against Derzhavist Russia with the support of Allied Powers in the later part of the conflict, leading to significant destruction of the region's industrial base, due to refusals to work and mass sabotage by both native Caucasians and Russian governors.

The city's oil production has been critical for its economy for over two centuries. Oil fields like this one, seen in 1906, have long been widespread in the city.

During the post-war British Mandate and following European supervision of the independent Waynakhia, the economy returned to a more agrarian base, and while progress was made in restoring the oil industry and other industrial facilities in the country, the overall impact was limited; as a result, the economy remained fragile through the mid-20th century. The rise of Germany as a European economic hub began to shift the economic and political environment in the Caucasus, due to the German-led and wider Northern European bloc wishing to establish stable, capitalist allied states in the strategic Caucasus region, establishing reliable trade partners along with avoiding the spread of Landonism to the area, and preventing any possibility of a future Russian attempt to return to, or gain influence over, the Caucasus during the Cold War era. With increasing outward migration from the Caucasus and Middle East, the German interest in Waynakhia was met positively, and greater economic ties were established; the flow of people out of Waynakhia became largely directed towards Germany.

However, the economic and political fragility of the region led to concerns from other European states around integration, with the Dagestan-Waynakhia Conflict, also known as the Aukh War, leading to a near-total collapse of the Waynakh economy. The initial Waynakh losses had reversed by the culmination of the conflict, when a large swathe of northern Dagestan was occupied by Waynakh forces, spurred on by covert support from its main European ally, Germany. While negotiations between Dagestan and Waynakhia were initially slow, German-led efforts to restore political and economic stability in the Caucasus, and both domestic and international pressure for peace, pushed the region into a settlement. The (TBD) Plan was established in 1988, marking the start of economic revitalisation in the Caucasus due to German-led European and Anatolian economic investment and political-economic reforms. The country's economy saw reliable signs of growth by 1992, with the restoration of the oil and kerosene industries playing a central role - foreign direct investment in Waynakh business start-ups, diversification into the tertiary sector, and the mass expansion of key transport links, led to significant growth through the following years, receiving large boosts after the end of the Cold War in 2000 and the Waynakhian integration with the European Community in 2005. The national capital, Sölƶa-Ġala, is a business and finance hub of the Caucasus region, second only to Tbilisi for presence of international business.

Today, the largest sector of the Waynakh economy is the tertiary sector, at ??% of GDP, closely followed by the oil and kerosene industries at ??% of GDP. The rest of the industrial sector and the agricultural sector remain important to the country, each contributing approximately ??% of its GDP. Since 2018, the Waynakh government has invested in sustainable development in the Mountain Region of the country, with large investments in agriculture since 2020 as part of the Highland Recovery, including grants for the establishment of farms growing crops and rearing livestock. The goal of this investment is to form an economic base in the highland region, increase agricultural output, and ultimately to increase self-sufficiency and reduce the costs associated with importing food and agricultural products from abroad. In 2022, the government began to offer short-term loans and grants for the establishment of different economic enterprises in the Mountain Region, as an incentive for citizens to return to live in the region.

The country's economy continues to be largely supported by its oil and kerosene industries, though Waynakhia is also an investor in new technology and renewable energy sources; since 2016, it has allocated part of its oil profits to the state budget for active development of green technology, including solar and wind power - while this is intended to reduced the country's reliance on oil, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down global air travel, leading to an increased share of state revenue coming from oil production. Waynakhia remains a major oil producer and exporter, with 22 major oil fields on its territory and over 150 smaller deposits scattered elsewhere. The largest of these oil fields are at Sölƶa-Ġala, Gümsa, Lulara-Yurt, Maġalbike, and Noƶi-Yurt, with exploration for new oil deposits in mountainous regions occurring sporadically since 2003, and more regularly since 2022. As of September 2024, the most southerly oil field in the republic being actively drilled was located near Dättaġa. The country also hosts some of the largest oil refineries in eastern Europe. Most of the country's heavy industry is located in the central Plains Region, including oil and kerosene production, the country's oil refineries, and production of guns, automobiles and modern technologies.

The Bank of Waynakhia is the central bank of the country, which is responsible for monetary policy and also the national currency the Waynakh naxar. Originally introduced in the 1960s and circulated alongside the Russian ruble, it was succeeded by the new Waynakh naxar in the early 1990s; it became the legal tender of Waynakhia on 1 January 1996, circulating with the ruble until 31 December 1997, when the naxar became the sole legal tender in the country. With a value approximate to that of the Georgian lari, It is one of the most valuable currencies in the Caucasus region as measured against the Sierran dollar.

Agriculture

An elderly man taking his cattle to a pasture in the Waynakh highlands. Livestock rearing has been a key part of Waynakh agriculture for centuries.

Agriculture in Waynakhia is a significant industry, with a mix of labour-intensive and capital-intensive production methods, and is one of the fastest-growing industries in the country today. Together with hunting and forestry, the Waynakh agricultural industry contributes around 7% of the country's GDP, and has seen a major increase in investment in recent years. Around two thirds of total production is devoted to livestock, with the other third to production of arable crops, and the country produces around 45% of domestic food consumption. Agricultural activity mostly occurs in rural areas of the country, with both livestock and crops grown nationwide - in the plains, and the drier northern and eastern areas of the country, crop production forms the bulk of agricultural production, while in the mountainous southern regions, livestock makes up a larger share of the industry due to the lower share of arable land available. The country has over 30,000 agricultural holdings. The country also has a small fishing industry, primarily focused in the eastern Kaspi Province along the Caspian Sea coastline.

Crops grown in Waynakhia include grain, vineyards, and a selection of vegetables; of the total land area used for agricultural production in 2015, 54% was devoted to grain crops, 33% to forage crops, 8% to industrial crops, and 5% to potatoes, melons, and other vegetables. The livestock raised in the country include cattle, sheep, and poultry, of which the population was over 2 million in 2019, and with an average of 6% each year from 2019 to 2023; the size of the industry enables Waynakhia's dairy industry to thrive, with high outputs of products including milk, cheese and butter. Waynakhia is one of Europe's largest producers of halal meat.

The agricultural industry has seen steady growth in Waynakhia since the 1990s, with the volume of total production increasing almost without interruption since 1993 - the largest contemporary increases in Waynakh agriculture have occurred in the early 1990s, early 2000s, and also since 2020 as a part of the Highland Recovery project. The Department of Environment, also known by abbreviation 'AQ Dep from its Waynakh name, is the regulator of agricultural policy and activity in Waynakhia, holding a variety of responsibilities in the industry.

Energy

Ezmi Hydroelectric Power Station is responsible for supplying power to much of south-western Waynakhia.

As early as the 19th century, what is now Waynakhia had been a major oil hub in the North Caucasus, with many oil wells drilled across its territory, including in the capital, Sölƶa-Ġala, along with widespread exploration for this commodity across the republic's territory. Oil continued to play a central role in the regional economy through the period of Russian rule, due to its position as a major oil-producing centre of the Caucasus region; it became an economic lifeline during the Derzhavist Russia period, in a region that was otherwise economically deprived. With its oil industry being heavily redirected towards the Russian war effort, the city was briefly considered as a target for the Allies to reach or otherwise cut off from Russia during the Great War era, though the front line never reached the North Caucasus, with the Allied Powers instead secretly funding anti-Derzhavist uprisings in the region. They were ultimately successful, with the region securing its independence from Russia after the conflict, and the oil industry was revitalised first by the British in the 1950s and 60s, and later, by the German-led European bloc in the 1980s and 1990s towards the end of the Cold War. Throughout the 20th century, the oil industry had kept the Waynakh economy floating in difficult times, and eventually became the foundation for the country's prosperity entering the 21st century. Waynakhia today is one of the members of OPEC; the oil and kerosene industries remain as some of the largest contributors to the economy and energy mix at present.

A typical solar panel installation in southern Waynakhia

Hydroelectric power is also a growing part of Waynakhia's energy mix. Among the largest stations in the country is the Ezmi Hydroelectric Power Station, which generates 60 MW of energy daily, and up to 231 million kWh of energy per year; other hydroelectric power stations include Bummat, Ç̇innax, Dabe-Yurt, Ġaƶari-Yurt, Guta, Ölgate and Qoqta. The country also has two thermal power stations in Sölƶa-Ġala and Ustarġardoy.

Since the 2010s, the development of renewable energy technology has spread to Waynakhia; particularly since 2016, the country's successive governments have aimed to diversify the energy mix and create new power sources, leading to the development of one of the largest solar farms in the Caucasus in the north of the country. The government also provides loans for the installation of solar panels, with mixed success. The Highland Recovery project, active since 2020, originally planned to redevelop the country's highland region using only green energy sources, with a significant part of the budget being invested in electricity generators, as well as solar and wind power for houses and other construction projects. However, oil exploration began in 2022, with the expansion of the industry intended to encourage people to return on a more permanent basis to the Mountain Region along with research into viability of expanding hydroelectric power generation to the area.

Transportation

An interchange under construction on the Caucasus Highway between Ilasxan-Yurt and Kurçala.

A newly-constructed road in mountainous southern Waynakhia.

Since the 1980s, the Waynakhian national transport system has been actively developed and modernised nationwide. The country has numerous major highways, known as "national roads", which are the most significant roads in the country's network and often connect the country's major cities to one another, or connect the country to its neighbours. The most important road in the country is the Caucasus Highway, which passes through several of Waynakhia's major cities, including Näsare, Sölƶa-Ġala, Gümsa and Xasi-Ġala. The Chanta-Orga Highway is one of the most important roads in the mountains, providing a direct road connection between Waynakhia and Georgia, along with the Darial Highway, which is jointly managed by Georgia, Russia, and Waynakhia. There is also an advanced road system connecting the country's settlements, and mass construction of new roads into the mountainous regions has been ongoing since 2020. Most of the country's trade in goods and services relies on the road network, especially in the south, where the road network is the only transport route available in wide areas. The Department of Transport is responsible for maintaining the country's designated highways, while maintenance of local roads is the responsibility of local governments. Car ownership in Waynakhia is generally high, with limited public transport routes outside of or between its cities and towns.

In 2005, the expansion of the Caucasus Railway into Waynakhia was completed. Running parallel to the Darial Highway along the Terka River, it crosses into Waynakhia at its border with Russia and Georgia, transiting northwards to Näsare, before turning east and crossing the plains towards the border with Dagestan. The railway route facilitates trade and transport within the Caucasus region and serves as a major connection with the South Caucasus and Anatolia. It serves as one of only two major international rail routes in Waynakhia, the other being the North Waynakhia Railway, which connects to Russia and the north-western Caucasus.

Näsare International Airport is the second-largest airport in Waynakhia.

Air travel in Waynakhia has been extensively redeveloped since the end of the Caucasus Wars in 1988, with its two major airports - Solzha-Gala Airport and Nasare Airport - rebuilt and expanded to facilitate air transport with the country's Northern European allies; the third-largest airport in the country, Xasi-Gala Airport, began to be constructed in 1998 and was completed in 2005. Solzha-Gala Airport also serves as a major refuelling hub, making it integral to the Waynakhian kerosene industry and providing a major source of income for the country. The Waynakh national flag carrier, Waynakh Air, is one of the most profitable air companies in the Caucasus region, and offers both passenger flights and cargo services to various international destinations, especially to Europe and the Middle East. There are various smaller airports across Waynakhia to serve civilian and non-civilian air traffic purposes, though many do not provide public or daily air services.

Tourism

The Q̇özana 'Am complex is one of Waynakhia's most successful tourist attractions

Waynakhia's tourism industry is relatively small, compared to those of its neighbours and other European countries. Compared with Georgia and Anatolia, the country's coastal area is far less developed, especially for tourist facilities; tourism to the Caucasus Mountains is largely concentrated in Georgia and Armenia, as well as the republics of Circassia and North Ossetia. The industry has faced many challenges - in 2017, the "Visit Waynakhia" tourism campaign was launched, though its impact on increasing tourism to the country was limited, only seeing substantial increases in tourist numbers from Europe, Japan, and China. In 2019, the tourism industry declared that 2020 would be the "year of tourism" in Waynakhia, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country closed its borders to nearly all international guests in March of that year.

Despite this, Waynakhia has invested increasingly in the tourism industry in recent years. In 2011, the Showda recreational park was opened outside the city of Gümse; it was the largest tourist attraction in the country until 2014, when the Wiedaça ski resort opened in Ẋaçara, Chanta Province. designed for a maximum capacity of 4,800 people, it includes 17 slopes with a total length of 45 kilometres, along with 15 kilometres of cable cars and extensive hiking trails. A tourist complex opened in 2015 at Q̇özana 'Am, with a hotel, restaurant, bath-house, pier, and sports and recreation areas. Jeep tours to mountainous regions have emerged as a popular tourism option in recent years, especially in areas targeted by the Highland Recovery.

Income and wealth

At the 2020 census, 57% of Waynakhia's population, or approximately 1.277 million people, was of the working age between 15 and 64 years. Of these, 4.3% were unemployed in January 2020, which had increased slightly to 4.5%, or approximately 57,500 working-aged people, by January 2024 estimates. Waynakhia, like much of the Caucasus, is characterised by high labour force participation - data has consistently revealed that over 75%, and up to 85%, of the working-age population is actively participating in the labour force, which is relatively high-skilled and specialised. However, the country also had relatively tight regulations around parental leave, sick leave, and paid vacation. The country's work environment is shaped to some extent by its conservative culture and traditions, which dictate that men should provide for their family, though the number of women in employment has increased considerably during the 21st century.

According to 2020 data, Waynakhia's nominal GDP was $61.995 billion KSD, giving a GDP per capita of $27,087 KSD. The Gini coefficient is estimated at 31.8 in 2024, representing lower-medium inequality, though it remains as one of the least unequal countries in Europe. The country's HDI score was 0.803 in 2020, which had increased slightly to 0.809 by 2024, based on improvements to healthcare and increased economic development in the south. In recent decades, Waynakhia has consistently offered a developed welfare state service to eligible citizens, including unemployment benefits, and allows citizens in certain social groups, below a given income threshold, to supplement incomes with part-time or informal employment. However, the government also encourages people to seek employment, and provides a mix of supply-side and demand-side policies to promote employment, including training opportunities and small business creation programmes for college and university graduates.

Infrastructure

The Sölƶa-Ġala tower complex and CBD is an example of modern urban development in Waynakhia

Throughout history, Waynakhia and the Waynakh people have been known across the Caucasus for their construction skills. Since the 12th century, Waynakh highland villages were characterized by their residential and battle towers (b'äwnaş). In general, the towers have a square base between 6m and 12m wide, and are between 10m and 25m high, depending on their type, though there are some towers with taller structures. The walls are built from stone blocks, held together by lime, clay-lime or lime-sand mortar, and inclined inwards and became thinner further up the towers. The foundations are built on hard rock. Most towers include petrographs and other symbols, with solar signs, animals, and prints of the tower owner's hand being most common. Many of the towers were badly damaged during the Highland Expulsions, but since 2007, restoration and preservation of towers began, with major restoration work on hundreds of such towers across the country beginning in 2018. The towers are symbolic of Waynakhia and have been a centrepiece of infrastructure development in the country's extreme mountainous landscapes for centuries.

In the modern era, Waynakh infrastructure development is characterised by its high quality and modernity. The Sölƶa-Ġala tower complex is a symbol of Waynakhia's post-war reconstruction, including seven high-rise buildings, which form the core of the city's Central Business District, as well as including several offices of non-government administration, and other major state-owned and private companies of the country. Since the 2000s, its other major cities have also seen the construction of similar CBDs, as well as increased regulation of nationwide urban and rural planning, to ensure that living environments and essential services function efficiently. The country's water supply network, managed by Waynakh Water and its regional sub-entities, has been modernised and expanded since the 1990s, especially regarding the restoration and advancement of water and sewage systems, and the emergence of hydro-electric power as an energy supply source; since 2020, the company has been tasked with connecting revived settlements in the Mountain Region to the national water supply and sewage treatment networks. Similarly, the National Grid aims to connect all of the country's settlements and households to the electricity grid, while Waynakh Energy is actively working to connect all households and settlements to the oil and gas supply network. As of 2024, Waynakh Telecom had already installed and activated above-ground telecommunications networks to the majority of the mountainous region, including most of the revived settlements, and provided Internet, broadband, and cellular data connections to almost all of the country. Some challenges remain, with settlements in more remote parts of the Mountain Region maintaining local generators in the event of power outages or other losses of connectivity - such generators and reserves have been incorporated into the Highland Recovery project's infrastructure development goals, with new ones supplied to all revived settlements, in order to prevent rural highland localities with limited infrastructure from being cut off in case of extreme weather events or other infrastructure failures.