The ethnic picture in Macedonia through the eyes of the Russian consuls in Bitola Alexander Rostkovski and Victor Kal (1895 – 1910)

This study examines the positions of Russian diplomats in Bitola on the ethnic and demographic picture in the region of Macedonia in the last years of the 19th and the first decade of the 20th century. 

This problem is traced in detail through the reports of the Russian consuls in Bitola Alexandаr Rostkovsky and Victor Kal. 

The main emphasis is placed on their perceptions of the ethnic specifics of the population of Macedonia, and attention is paid to their views on the possibilities for its release and the activities of national propaganda. The role and policy of the Russian Empire in relation to Macedonia and its population are also discussed.