Editing Death squad (section)

===== Russian Empire =====
{{Main|Oprichnik|Individual terror|White Terror (Russia)}}
[[File:0NevrevNV Oprichniki BISH.jpg|thumb|''Oprichniki'', painting by [[Nikolai Nevrev]]]]

The first organized use of death squad violence in Russia dates from the 16th century reign of [[Ivan the Terrible]], the first Russian monarch to claim the title of [[Tsar]]. Named the [[Oprichniki]], they wore [[quiver]]s which contained brooms, symbolizing their mission to ferret the enemies of the Tsar. They dressed in black garb, which was similar to a [[Russian Orthodox Church|Russian Orthodox]] [[monastic habit]], and bore the insignia of a severed dog's head (to sniff out [[treason]] and the enemies of the Tsar) and a broom (to sweep them away). The dog's head was also symbolic of their "nipping at the heels of the Tsar's enemies." They were sometimes called the "Tsar's Dogs" on account of their loyalty to him. They also rode black horses in order to inspire a greater level of terror.

Their oath of allegiance was:
''I swear to be true to the Lord, Grand Prince, and his realm, to the young Grand Princes, and to the Grand Princess, and not to maintain silence about any evil that I may know or have heard or may hear which is being contemplated against the Tsar, his realms, the young princes or the Tsaritsa. I swear also not to eat or drink with the zemshchina, and not to have anything in common with them. On this I kiss the cross.''<ref>Isabel de Madariaga, Ivan the Terrible, page 183</ref>

Led by [[Malyuta Skuratov]], the Oprichniki routinely tortured and executed whomever the Tsar suspected of treason, including [[boyar]]s, merchants, clergymen, commoners, and even entire cities. The memoirs of [[Heinrich von Staden (author)|Heinrich von Staden]], provide a detailed description of both the Tsar's motivations and the inner workings of the Oprichniki.

The most famous victims of the Oprichniki remains Kyr [[Philip II, Metropolitan of Moscow|Philip Kolychev]], the [[Metropolitan bishop]] of [[Moscow]]. The Metropolitan gave a sermon in the Tsar's presence in which he rebuked Ivan for terrorizing and murdering large numbers of innocent people and their families. Enraged, Tsar Ivan convened a Church council which declared Metropolitan Philip [[defrocked]] and imprisoned in a monastery for delinquent clergy. Years later, Tsar Ivan sent an emissary demanding Metropolitan Philip's blessing on his plans for the [[Novgorod massacre]]. Metropolitan Philip said, "Only the good are blessed."

Enraged, Tsar Ivan sent Skuratov to personally strangle the Metropolitan in his monastic cell. Metropolitan Philip was subsequently glorified as a Saint by the Russian Orthodox Church.

In later centuries, Russian Tsars would declare a [[state of emergency]] and use death squad tactics in order to suppress domestic uprisings like [[Pugachev's Rebellion]] and the [[Russian Revolution of 1905]]. During the latter, Tsar [[Nicholas II of Russia]] ordered the [[Imperial Russian Army]] to ally itself with the [[Black Hundreds]], an [[ultra-nationalist]] paramilitary group. Those captured in arms against the Tsar's forces were tried by military tribunals before being hanged or shot. According to [[Simon Sebag Montefiore]], being caught wearing similar clothing to Anti-Tsarist militias was often enough for court martial followed by execution. These tactics were continued by the [[anti-communist]] [[White Movement]] during the [[Russian Civil War]] (1917-1920).

Opponents of the [[House of Romanov]] also carried out targeted killings of those deemed as enemies of Socialism, which was referred to as [[individual terror]]. Among them were the [[People's Will]], the [[Bolshevik]] Battle Squad, and the Combat Brigade of the [[Socialist Revolutionary Party]]. Among the victims of Marxist death squads were Tsar [[Alexander II of Russia]], the [[Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia]], and the [[Georgian language]] poet and publisher [[Ilia Chavchavadze]]. These tactics were drastically accelerated following the [[October Revolution]].