The city of Osh - the center of the southern outskirts of Tsarist Russia
As a result of the persistent struggle of the people, the Kokand Khanate was liquidated in February 1876, completing the annexation of Kyrgyzstan to Russia. Thus, the city of Osh entered a new period in its life. The annexation of Southern Kyrgyzstan to Russia was a progressive act in the development of the economy of Osh and its surroundings.
On February 19, 1876, a treaty was concluded in Osh between the Alai queen Kurmanjan Datka and General Skobelev regarding the liquidation of the Kokand Khanate and the establishment of peace between the peoples. The treaty stipulated the following: both parties support the liquidation of the Kokand Khanate, seven cities: Osh, Uzgen, Andijan, Fergana, Kojent, Namangan, and Kokand — recognize their incorporation into Russia, the local population is granted full freedom of religion and national customs; prisoners and those who voluntarily surrendered are exempt from punishment, and they and the participants of the war are granted freedom and the right to life. In turn, the Russian administration aims to provide comprehensive assistance to the residents of the cities and districts.
As for the Kokand Khan Khudoyarkan and his sons Nasyrdinbek and Abdurakhman, they were sent by the imperial government to Orenburg and subsequently executed by hanging. Thus, from February 19, 1876, the city of Osh became the center of the southern outskirts of Tsarist Russia. The first head of the Osh district was Ionov, and the commandant was Rodzyanko. With the arrival of the Russians, internecine bloodshed ceased, and peace was established. The Fourth Turkestan Regiment of signalmen was stationed in Osh to maintain internal order.
With the arrival of the Russians, the life of the city of Osh changed. Captain Mikhail Efremovich Ionov, appointed head of the Osh district, simultaneously served as the district chief and chairman of the city economy and improvement commission under the regulations in force at that time. It became evident that a market needed to be urgently built near the military settlement. With the active involvement of the district chief, in September 1882, a resident of Osh, Mamat Itimov, committed to build a market consisting of sixteen shops on the condition that he would enjoy the income from renting the shops for ten years, after which he would hand over the market in good condition to the city. Thus, the practical captain, lacking money or building materials, managed to build a solid market in 1883 with the funds of local businessmen, which was later nicknamed the "drunken market" by the residents of Osh.
From archival materials, it is evident that in the first year of his activity, district chief M. Ionov acquired land from the local population for a military camp, as well as for the construction of the new Osh. He allocated plots to officers and officials. A tactful and diplomatic officer created a commission to assess the land being purchased from among the eminent kazis and muftis to avoid causing discontent among the population. During the construction of the district chief's house (later the administrative building of the rest house), M. Ionov demonstrated unprecedented economic ingenuity: without waiting for the sluggish treasury to find and transfer the necessary funds to the district administration, he began construction with his savings, skillfully organized the procurement of building materials: wood, bricks, stone, and roofing iron. The house built in 1880 brought great benefit to the city: during the civil war, it housed some military units, and later it served as a dormitory for workers building the silk-reeling factory.
Along with the construction of the military settlement and many administrative buildings, the district chief facilitated individual construction, especially of houses for retired military personnel. This marked the beginning of the development and settlement of the so-called soldiers' quarter.
Another Russian military leader, Staff Captain Sergey Andreevich Topornik, was appointed the first commander of the Osh garrison in 1876. He was recognized as a patriot of the new Osh for almost 40 years until his retirement in 1915. He determined that for the needs of the troops and for the construction of the future city, it was necessary to purchase about 16 desiatinas of land at a cost of 17,279 rubles in gold — a very high price for those times.
The Turkestan General Governorship allocated the specified amount. It was planned to build a military settlement, a hospital, and a summer military camp. The remaining land was allocated for the planned construction of administrative, commercial, cultural, and residential buildings for citizens.
On this strip of land, the first settlers included Captain Ruchkin, Staff Captain Zaytsev (later one of the district chiefs), lieutenants Zaleishina and Yestnfeev, private Falko-Konevich, priest Katanovsky, doctor Mrachkovsky, and merchants Panin and Moshchevitin.
Thus, the new city became not just another geographical point on the map of distant Central Asia, but also
a unique catalyst for the qualitative transformation of the old khan's Osh.
The aspiration of the population of Southern Kyrgyzstan to accept Russian citizenship after the uprising of 1873-1874.