In February 1918, the history of Pontus underwent a significant transformation marked by the retreat of Russian troops, which signaled the beginning of a new era of displacement for the local Greek population. According to Archimandrite Panaretos Topalidis, as documented in his seminal work 'Pontus Through the Centuries' (1929), an estimated 85,000 Greeks fled or were expelled from the Eastern Pontus territories amid the upheavals. This exodus was not merely a military event; it represented a profound humanitarian crisis, forcing countless families to abandon their homes and seek refuge elsewhere.

With the withdrawal of Russian forces from Trebizond, thousands of Greeks found themselves in dire circumstances, driving them to initially seek safety in Russia or face persecution from advancing Turkish forces. Topalidis further estimates that an additional 60,000 Greeks from the Kars region left their homes in March 1918, driven towards Georgia and subsequently to Northern Caucasus and the shores of the Black Sea. These movements underscore the broader implications of the geopolitical shifts during this period, where ethnic communities were dramatically affected by the retreat of foreign military powers.

The legacy of these events continues to resonate as they highlight the struggles faced by the Greek population of Pontus during this turbulent time. The accounts of displacement and survival not only reflect the historical context of ethnic conflict but also serve as a reminder of the human cost involved in the historical narratives of war and migration, further illustrating the significance of preserving these stories for future generations.