The Amur issue and the preventive occupation of Sakhalin by Russian expeditions in 1853-1855: ainu as a factor of initial development

this article examines the geopolitical background of the "Amur issue" and the preventive occupation of Sakhalin by Russian expeditions in 1853-1855, paying special attention to the role of the indigenous Ainu people as a significant factor in the initial development of the island. The research is based on a comprehensive analysis of primary historical documents (diaries, notes of expedition participants, official correspondence) and secondary historiography on the history of the Russian Far East, Russian-Japanese relations and Ainu ethnography. It is revealed that Russia's activation in the region was due to strategic interests, the non-demarcation of territories and the threat from the Western powers in the context of the Crimean War. The expeditions of G.I. Nevelskoy proved the island position of Sakhalin and the navigability of the Amur River, which became the key to consolidating Russian positions. The Ainu, with their deep knowledge of local geography and resources, played an active role as informants, guides, and trading partners, contributing to logistics and the selection of locations for Russian posts. Their interactions with the Russians, often based on mutually beneficial exchanges and protection from Japanese exploitation, differed from the more rigid Japanese policies. The presence and interaction with the Ainu greatly facilitated and accelerated the process of Russian exploration of Sakhalin, providing the expeditions with the necessary information about the territory and resources, as well as creating conditions for the establishment of the initial Russian administration. Thus, the Ainu acted not as passive observers, but as active subjects of the historical process, whose influence on the course of events was underestimated in traditional historiography.

Amur issue, Sakhalin, Russian expeditions of 1853-1855, Ainu, G.I. Nevelskoy, N.N. Muravyov, Russian-Japanese relations