Судан и Большой Ближний Восток

164 Alexander S. Zdanevich The Crisis of Autocracy in Russia (the mid-19th — early 20th С.) and the Role of the Russian Volunteer Movement during the Anglo-Boer War Abstract . The crisis of autocracy in Russia became a trigger for destructive processes in Russian society and at the same time gave rise to the phenomenon of the Russian volunteer movement. This study intends to demonstrate a cross-section of the period, starting from the events of the mid-19th century, taking into account the global confrontation between Great Britain and Russia. The participation of Russian volunteers in the Anglo-Boer War (1899– 1902) deserves special discussion. The British invasion of the Orange Free State and Transvaal caused widespread public outcry throughout the world. Russia was no exception. The solidarity of Russian society in the struggle for the independence of the Afrikaners is due to a number of factors. To a large extent, this was caused by the “weak” position of European states that tried not to be involved in confrontation with Great Britain.