#Officer Sablin

[loiladadiani]

Nicholas II, Officer Sablin, and Anna Vyrubova

If it wasn't because either one of his daughters or the Empress was probably taking this photograph, I would say Anna was flirting with the Emperor. I guess I have a suspicious mind...

[thestarik]

Maria, Olga and Anastasia with their mother Alexandra and Anna Vyrubova, N. P. Sablin and another officer. Shadow of Tatiana taking the photo.

[worldoftheromanovs]

Tatiana’s diary, 1st/14th January 1913

“In the morning we four drove to obednya at the upper regimental church with Papa. Batushka gave a very good service. Had breakfast together with Papa and Sergei. Mama was in bed with a very severe headache. We four walked around our garden with Papa. Returned, changed and the four of us alone went to Countess Hendrikova. She was lying down in bed in the bedroom. We sat there for a little while, then from there to Aunt Evgenia Maksimilianovna’s, from there to Anya’s, Nik.[olai] Pav.[lovich] Sablin was there. There we had tea for a little while, then, when we were leaving on the train we ran into an officer from Mama’s Crimean regiment who taught at the Cavalier Guard School. I was very glad to see N.P.

At this time Papa is at the Grand Palace receiving the suite and diplomats. Had tea with Papa and Mama. Mama got out [of bed] and is lying down on the sofa. Later went to the hall with Alexei, where he slid down the hill with Derevenko’s sons. Then went upstairs where I sat with the sisters. They worked and I read to myself. The, had dinner with Mama, the sisters, and Anya. Papa went to Grandmama’s in Petersburg. After dinner sat and read. At 10 o’cl. Olga and I went to bed.”

[mariacallous]

Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has relied on volunteer units to bolster its forces. According to a new report from BBC News Russian, the Russian authorities are now trying to integrate these units into larger, more organized structures, including the BARS army reserve and the Redut private military company (PMC). However, the status these murky formations afford their fighters is often ambiguous and no one seems to know what benefits they and their families are due in the event of injury or death.

In addition to regular military units, a variety of volunteer formations and mercenary groups that aren’t formally part of the Russian army are also fighting for Moscow in Ukraine. According to BBC News Russian, the Russian authorities are trying to bring them under the leadership of larger structures — mainly, the BARS army reserve and the private military company Redut.

Russian state agencies and television channels have repeatedly mentioned BARS (an acronym for “Combat Army Reserve of the Country,” as written in Russian) since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. According to BBC News Russian, President Vladimir Putin established the reserve by decree in 2015 and the authorities began actively bolstering its forces in 2021.

Against the backdrop of growing losses in the regular army, Russian authorities began actively recruiting volunteers in the early months of the war, resulting in “dozens of volunteer units fighting without a clear status” at the front. These units were retroactively assigned to BARS, filling it with volunteers who’d decided to go to the front after the invasion began, instead of reservists.

BARS contracts are officially signed through military enlistment offices, but the fighter formally retains the status of a volunteer rather than that of a serviceman. Russian authorities have passed several laws aimed at equalizing volunteers with regular military personnel, so the main difference is the term of service. Volunteers have the right to return home after six months, whereas the regular soldiers and draftees are obliged to stay in the army until the end of the war. BBC News Russian writes that most BARS volunteers are officially assigned to military unit 22179, which is based in the Rostov region.

The most telling evidence of how BARS actually functions can be found in judicial practice, which “shows that confusion reigns in the management of such units and neither the military nor civilian authorities fully understand how their fighters should be treated,” writes BBC News Russian. Family members of BARS fighters regularly complain about bureaucratic problems with payments and documents: often, neither the volunteers themselves nor the military and enlistment offices understand what exactly their status guarantees.

There’s no official register of BARS formations. BBC News Russian says there are “more than thirty of them” but notes that it’s almost impossible to estimate the real number of mercenary and volunteer units. Service conditions vary considerably from unit to unit, not least depending on the patronage of high-ranking officials and regional authorities.

For instance, several formations fall under the Union of Donbas Volunteers, which is overseen by Russian State Duma Deputy Alexander Borodai and sponsored by businessman and Tsargrad TV founder Konstantin Malofeev. The “Cascade” formation, which specializes in aerial reconnaissance, is overseen by United Russia General Secretary Andrey Turchak and is led by State Duma Deputy Dmitry Sablin. Several other units are affiliated with the All-Russian Cossack Society.

Since February 2022, Russian-occupied Crimea has actually had its own army, controlled by the Kremlin-appointed head of the annexed region, Sergey Aksyonov. These units are also part of the BARS system, and they’re led by Konstantin Pikalov, head of Wagner Group’s operations in Africa. In an August 2022 interview, Pikalov said his units obey orders from the Russian Defense Ministry but have almost no interaction with other units.

The second largest umbrella structure that recruits volunteers for combat operations is the mercenary group Redut, which made its first appearance during the war in Syria. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to media reports, it’s been overseen by the GRU’s first deputy head, Vladimir Alexeyev.

As journalists found out in fall 2022, the Russian Defense Ministry created and fully controls Redut. After Yevgeny Prigozhin’s short-lived mutiny, Redut began actively recruiting former Wagner Group mercenaries. One of its current leaders is former Wagner Group Commander Andrey Troshev.

The most famous units within Redut are the “Wolves” brigade, the “Tiger” unit, the “BORZ” battalion, and the international “Pyatnashka” brigade made up of Abkhazian volunteers. Redut also includes the “Espanola” battalion, which is organized by Russian soccer hooligans (some of its fighters openly hold neo-Nazi views), as well as the “Storm Z” units, whose members are mostly former prisoners.

Redut members don’t sign official contracts with the Russian military, but rather civilian work contracts. As BBC News Russian, they are legally neither soldiers nor volunteers, and they aren’t entitled to the corresponding benefits. At the same time, Redut has its own payment system: compensation for injuries ranges from one to three million rubles (about $11,300-$34,000), and if a fighter is killed, his family receives a payout of five million rubles (about $56,500). When asked about benefits, a recruiter said that “for benefits, one should go to the army,” adding that for now, private military fighters are “like partisans.” A recruiter for the “Skif” unit laid out the practical differences between the groups as follow:

BARS is a contract with the Defense Ministry, but Redut isn’t quite like that. [In the latter] they pay a little more, 10-15 thousand [$113-169], but you’ll run yourself into the ground [trying to get] the social benefits. […] I’d recommend BARS. You can go on to Redut, [already] having veteran’s benefits, social benefits, and all that crap.

Otherwise, the recruiter noted, relatives will have “a lot of trouble proving the obvious.”

[the-last-tsar]

Olga Nikolaevna with Nicholas Sablin, officer of the Standart.

(source: 📷)

[mea-gloria-fides]

Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich aboard the Imperial yacht “Standart”, photographed with officer Nicholas Sablin

[otmacamera]

27th July 1910 : Afternoon at the Sobstvennaya dacha in Peterhof

Photo 1-2 : The Grand Duchesses with officers from the Standart in Peterhof

Photo 3 : Tsar Nicholas II on a horse and Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna

Photo 4 : Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna and an officer. The Sobstvennaya dacha can be seen in the background.

Photo 5 : Paul Voronov, Messing (?), Tsar Nicholas II, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna and Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna

Photo 6 : Tsar Nicholas II and Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna

Photo 7 : Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna

Photo 8 : Tsar Nicholas II, Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna and Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin in front of the Sobstvennaya dacha.

"27th July. Tuesday. [...] After breakfast rode on a new Bukhara horse. By the sea at the Sobstvennaya dacha, met Alix with the children and a cavalcade of Standart officers. Went for a ride around Sergievka and drank tea on the premises of the Sob[stvennaya] dacha. Messed around afterwards. Got back at 6 1/4. [...]"

1910 Diary of Tsar Nicholas II

Photos from: Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna's 1910-1912 Album/ Page 13b - photos 228, 230, 231 Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna's 1909-1912 Album/ Page 11b - photos 178, 181 Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna's 1910-1912 Album/ Page 4b - photos 58, 63 Tsaritsa Alexandra Feodorovna's 1908-1912 Album/ Page 73b - photo 1166

To see what the Sobstvennaya dacha used to look like and what it looks like now from the outside go to the article HERE. For rare photographs of the old interior : HERE and HERE.

[warsofasoiaf]

After all the stuff Glenn did in your playthrough, how high do you think he'd be ranked as a president? (Also which salon won in tomsk? They're my favorite unifyer by far).

Glenn would probably be thought of as one of the all-time greats, up there with Washington and Lincoln. The Mars Landing is obviously one hell of an accomplishment that would rank among the scientific marvels of a 20th century that had its fair share of them, but it's not just Mars. The SALT Accords help preserve the world from nuclear armageddon, the Iranian intervention and support of the Arab Democratic Republic out of Yemen would help solve the oil crisis (if that content had actually been implemented for the USA - as I understand it currently the Oil Crisis is only addressable as Germany, Italy, and Iberia). He successfully negotiated the Honolulu Accords (I timed it so it was one of the last foci I took before Glenn took office) and returned the Eisenhower Islands and Hawaii to American control without losing the Panama Canal Zone. I also took Glenn's anti-corruption foci and played it completely straight, not favoring NASA at all and going the "complete ban" route, and was able to establish Glenn's domestic legislation successfully, including social security and Medicare (without caving to drug companies).

Glenn's biggest detractors would probably be people who disapproved of his handling of the uranium mine handling. I seized them, which probably will eventually need to be undone as a temporary strategic measure following the SALT accords or be seen as unconstitutional. Followers of Michael Harrington would probably get annoyed that I didn't limit to a six-hour workday to compromise with the Democrats on the labor bill. Obviously, the Yock and Hall types will be furious at President Glenn, who not only united American society but addressed the issues that would have caused them to get elected in the first place. The bean counters probably would have gotten mad at Glenn when the Oil Crisis hit, but again, that's due to the lack of Oil Crisis content for USA - that permanent 8% increase is hard to overcome as far as budgets are concerned even if I was able to make sure my debt-to-income ratio stayed below 65%. Environmentalists too, would probably not like Glenn, since they were anti-nuclear power in the 1970's (and still have a strong anti-nuclear current today).

Tomsk is this playthrough united under the Dekabristy. Alas, they're not as cool as Sakharov's Modernisty, but that's to be expected. The Tomsk salons are imperfect pieces of a great whole - The Decemberists want to conserve and protect nature, the Modernists want to decriminalize homosexuality and provide education, the Humanists want to protect the working man (albeit at a cost of mass conscription), and the Bastilards look to establish healthcare to a population that badly needs it.

I've united Russia as most of the unifiers. While Tomsk is undoubtedly one of the more wholesome unifiers, I think Keremvero under Yuriy is probably my favorite one in Central Siberia because it combines wholesomeness and insanity in a very good way. How can a general going on a drug binge after his best friend betrays him, claiming to be a Rurikid, and establishing a decent Russia not a fun time? "King Rurik" not only sticks it to the Germans, but does so in absolute style. Same with WerBell, who is less wholesome but ten times more insane in a good way - he isn't the best unifier but he is clearly the biggest laugh riot. Given how much I love Metal Gear, making Mitchell WerBell III turn into Big Boss and Russia turn into Outer Heaven is just *chef's kiss* perfect.

Plenty of good unifiers though. Alexander Men is pretty cool. I think they're pulling Kosygin out of Komi, but he was a good unifier. Yeltsin was another good surprise candidate despite the hate he gets from the fans, and of course, Sablin is Wholesome 100 Big Chungus to the point that Trix shoots from his butthole.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[annalaurendet70]

The Grand Duchesses like any other teenager or young woman would have "crushes".Olga Nikolaevna was no different.Her "crushes" included :

•Pavel Alexeyevich Voronov

•Dmitri Shakh-Bagov

•Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin

•Alexandre Konstantinovich Shvedov

•Pavel Alexandrovich Molokhovets

•Pavel Alexeyevich Voronov

11 January 1887 Kostroma,Russia- 8 Sep 1969

Belonged to the second eldest family; their ancestor Ivan Voronov was awarded lands in the Kostroma district in the late XVIth.

Joined the navy and, after graduating as a naval cadet, served on the cruiser Admiral Makarov. The Admiral Makarov was moored in the port of Messina, Italy when a powerful earthquake hit Sicily on 15 December 1908.The sailors on board the Admiral Makarov, including my grandfather, immediately went to the rescue and saved many of those affected. I’ve read that tens of thousands of Messina’s inhabitants were buried under rubble. Apparently, it was the bravery of my grandfather which caught the eye of the Tsar and had him promoted to Lieutenant on the Standart.

•Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin

"N.P."

Sablin was born into a naval family in Mykolaiv. His father was Vice Admiral Pavel Sablin and his brother was Admiral Mikhail Sablin.

Sablin graduated from the Marine Cadet Corps in 1898 and fought in the suppression of the Boxer rebellion in China in 1899-1900. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, Sablin was an officer on the cruiser Almaz. From 1906 to 1914 he served on the Imperial Yacht Standart, eventually becoming her commander. In 1914. Sablin became the naval Aide de camp to Tsar Nicholas II and later in World War I commanded a battalion of the Russian Guard. He was dismissed from service after the February Revolution and joined the White Russian forces in Ukraine and South Russia.Sablin was evacuated from Odessa in 1920 and subsequently lived in Constantinople, Berlin and Paris.

•Dmitri Shakh-Bagov

"Mitia", "the Golden One"

9 February 1893.

He attended a gymnasium and spent his summers in Manglisi, where His Majestry’s 13th Life Yerivan Grenadier Regiment was stationed – the oldest and one of the most prestigious regiments in the Russian army.

Shakh-Bagov was wounded in action on 19 May 1915, and five days later arrived at the Tsarskoe Selo infirmary.

Mitya‘s stay at the infirmary ended quickly: a month later he was discharged.

Mitya did indeed receive his St George, and also returned to the infirmary rather quickly. He was more seriously wounded in July of 1915. Shakh-Bagov hurried to send a telegram asking for permission to return to the familiar infirmary and of course received it. He was back in Tsarskoe Selo in early August.

Mitya‘s departure from the infirmary (1st of August, 1916)

December 1916 that Mitya “received the second Company of the battalion recruits.

The last time they saw each other was at Christmas 1916.He would meet with Tsar Nicholas ll in February 1917.

•Alexander Konstantinovich Shvedov

"AKSHV" "Shurik"

An officer in her father’s Escort Guard who was her romantic interest in 1913.

•Pavel Alexandrovich Molokhovets

"Sunny"

[thestarik]

Olga and Tatiana with officers, including N. P. Sablin and Anna Vyrubova.

[luimnigh]

What do you think of Valery Sablin?

-sighs, googles-

...why are you asking me about a Soviet Naval officer who failed to start another Russian Revolution?

I don't have an opinion on the guy.

[the-last-tsar]

Olga, Tatiana and Maria with Anna Vyrubova and officers.

(source: V.K)

[loiladadiani]

Livadia 1909

Interesting photograph which I had not seen before. Alexei and Olga are still pretty young, and the cute, spritely teenager standing next to Alexei is Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich. Sablin is behind Dmitry. I do not recognize the other two officers in the picture.

Olga and Alexei in Livadia 1909

[mashkaromanova]

Nicholas II with his children, 1913

Left to right: Maria Nikolaevna, Olga Nikolaevna, Tatiana Nikolaevna, Alexei Nikolaevich, Nicholas II, Anastasia Nikolaevna

“At 10 1/2 [we] went to the regimental church for obednya. Otetz Alexander Vasiliev served. After [we] returned, had breakfast with Papa and Sergei T. Mama did not get up yet, because she has a severe headache and is tired. At 2 o’cl. 15 min. we four walked with Papa. Almost no snow at all, but it is 5 deg.[rees] below [zero]. At 3 1/2 o’clock Papa went to the Grand Palace to receive the escort and diplomats, while we went to see Countess Hendrikova. Sat with her for a while, and then went to [see] Aunt Mops, and from there to Anya's. N.P. was there. We had tea all together, it was awfully cozy. 

Returned at 5 o’cl.[ock], Mama was lying down on the sofa in her study. It was very dark there and I think she was sleeping. Papa returned after 5 o’cl. and we had tea together. He went to Grandmama’s in Petersburg for dinner. We four had dinner with Anya and Mama in the mauve room. She still has a headache, and heart No. 2. After dinner she was lying down on the sofa there, and we sat near by on the floor and worked. Prayed with Alexei as usual at 8 o’cl. Went to bed at 10 o’cl. The year started out well – no one knows how it will end. Oh Lord, save Papa, Mama and all.”

- Olga’s diary, 1st/14th January 1913

“In the morning we four drove to obednya at the upper regimental church with Papa. Batushka gave a very good service. Had breakfast together with Papa and Sergei. Mama was in bed with a very severe headache. We four walked around our garden with Papa. Returned, changed and the four of us alone went to Countess Hendrikova. She was lying down in bed in the bedroom. We sat there for a little while, then from there to Aunt Evgenia Maksimilianovna’s, from there to Anya’s, Nik.[olai] Pav.[lovich] Sablin was there. There we had tea for a little while, then, when we were leaving on the train we ran into an officer from Mama’s Crimean regiment who taught at the Cavalier Guard School. I was very glad to see N.P.

At this time Papa is at the Grand Palace receiving the suite and diplomats. Had tea with Papa and Mama. Mama got out [of bed] and is lying down on the sofa. Later went to the hall with Alexei, where he slid down the hill with Derevenko’s sons. Then went upstairs where I sat with the sisters. They worked and I read to myself. The, had dinner with Mama, the sisters, and Anya. Papa went to Grandmama’s in Petersburg. After dinner sat and read. At 10 o’cl. Olga and I went to bed.”

- Tatiana’s diary, 1st/14th January

[otmacamera]

Photo 1 : Tsar Nicholas II, Nikolai Pavlovich Chistyakov(?), Olga Evgenievna Byutsova, Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin and Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna on Pukion Sari in the Finnish Skerries, 18th July 1908.

Photo 2-3 : Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna and Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna on Pukion Sari in the Finnish Skerries, 18th July 1908.

Photo 4 : Dr. Evgeniy Botkin, Nikolai Pavlovich Chistyakov(?), Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna and other officers on Pukion Sari in the Finnish Skerries, 18th July 1908.

Photo 5 : Nikolai Pavlovich Chistyakov(?), Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin and Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova on Pukion Sari in the Finnish Skerries, 18th July 1908.

Photo 7 : Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin and Tsaritsa Alexandra Feodorovna on Pukion Sari in the Finnish Skerries, 18th July 1908.

"18th July. Friday. In the morning stayed on deck. In the afternoon went to the shore. Drank tea there. Had breakfast with Papa and Mama."

(1908 Diary of Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna)

Photos from: Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna's 1908 Album Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna's 1907-1908 Album Anna Vyrubova's Album n°5

[aw-laurendet]

Tsar Nicholas ll of Russia,the Grand Duchesses,Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubov,Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin and officers from the Imperial Royal yacht,the Standart during an excursion.