The Cheka: Lenin's Secret Police and the Birth of the NKVD

Tcheka (also spelled Cheka) was the first Soviet secret police organization, established in December 1917 by the Bolsheviks under Lenin's leadership. The name "Cheka" comes from the Russian word for "extraordinary commission."

The Cheka was responsible for suppressing political opposition and dissent within the Soviet Union, and it played a key role in the Red Terror, a period of violence and repression that followed the Russian Revolution. The Cheka was also responsible for conducting mass arrests, deportations, and executions of those seen as enemies of the state.

Over time, the Cheka evolved into the NKVD (People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs), which became one of the most feared organizations in the Soviet Union. The NKVD was responsible for enforcing Stalin's purges and repressive policies, and it played a key role in the Great Purge of the late 1930s.

The legacy of the Cheka/NKVD continues to be felt in Russia today, with many Russians still fearful of the state's power and willingness to use force against its citizens.