Sir, – It is little wonder that Putin does not want to remember the Russian revolution (Patrick Smyth, "Why Putin is not celebrating the Russian revolution's centenary", Opinion & Analysis, March 27th). The Bolsheviks' October Revolution unleashed the Russian civil war, which resulted in deaths through terror, famine and disease (10 million, according to historian Orlando Figes), with both the conservative Whites and Bolshevik Reds committing attrocities. Industrial output value by 1921 descended to a seventh of its 1913 value and agriculture output value by 1921 descended to a third of its 1913 value. The birthrate was greatly reduced. Between a million and two million people had fled the Former Russian Imperial Regions, many of whom were highly educated. These "White Emigres" included my grandfather Vladimir Kedroff, who spent the majority of his adult life in Cork city. This revolution was a personal tragedy for him as he never saw a single member of his immediate family after fleeing Russia. My father and aunt never met their paternal aunt or grandparents. – Yours, etc,
ELAINE KEDROFF,
Ashford,
Middlesex,
England.