Historians point to stereotyped opinions about capture of Imam Shamil

The fall of Gunib and the capture of Imam Shamil, contrary to the popular belief, did not lead to the end of the Caucasian War, the historians interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe and regret that for over 150 years the image of Shamil has been used by authorities for self-promotion.

Vadim Mukhanov, a senior researcher at the Centre for Caucasian Studies at the Moscow State Institute of Foreign Relations (known as MGIMO), has noted that after the capture of Shamil, "the full stop in the Caucasian War wasn't put."

He has added that in different periods "the figure of Shamil was controversial."

"On the one hand, he was the leader of highlanders' struggle against the Russian Empire ... However, after 1859, he became a prisoner of war, or rather, an 'honorary prisoner'," the historian has stated.

At the same time, "some experts see Shamil only as the leader of the anti-Russian struggle."

Imam Shamil is "the historical figure number one in the Caucasus," historian Khadji Murad Donogo is sure.

However, according to his version, "some people, who are far away from history, are pouring mud on Shamil for his surrender and swearing an oath to the tsar."