Similar to the Chechens, the Tatars, the Ingush, and a host of indigenous peoples across the Caucasus and Crimea, Josef Stalin deported the Meskhetian Turks to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan en masse in 1944. In total, Stalin forcibly removed some 1.4 million indigenous people from the Soviet-controlled lands.

On 15 November 1944, the then General Secretary of CPSU, Joseph Stalin, ordered the deportation of over 115,000 Meskhetian Turks from their homeland, who were secretly driven from their homes and herded onto rail cars. As many as 30,000 to 50,000 deportees died of hunger, thirst and cold and as a direct result of the deportations and the deprivations suffered in exile.

The Soviet guards dumped the Meskhetian Turks at rail sidings across a vast region, often without food, water, or shelter; according to the 1989 Soviet Census, 106,000 Meskhetian Turks lived in Uzbekistan, 50,000 in Kazakhstan, and 21,000 in Kyrgyzstan.

As opposed to the other nationalities who had been deported during World War II, no reason (they accused as nations "collaborating with the Nazis") was given for the deportation of the Meskhetian Turks, which remained secret until 1968