Nikolay Vasilyevich Alnikin (Russian: Николай Васильевич Альникин, November 30, 1898 – March 28, 1987) was a Russian poet and geologist who spent most of his life in exile following the Russian Civil War. He is known for his contributions to the literary and cultural legacy of the Russian émigré community.

Alnikin was born in the Don Host Oblast of the Russian Empire. During the Russian Civil War, he fled Russia and eventually settled in exile. His journey took him through Turkey and ultimately to France^[1].

Despite facing hardships in emigration, Alnikin pursued higher education. He graduated from the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the Sorbonne in 1926. Later, he completed his studies at the Institute of Applied Geology in Nancy, obtaining a degree in geological engineering. His geological work took him to Morocco.^[2]

Alnikin wrote under the pseudonym Boris Nezlobin. His early poetry appeared in student publications in Prague and Paris, as well as in émigré newspapers such as Kazachye Slovo and Kazachyi Dumy. He authored two poetry collections: Rifmovannye konchiki (Rhymed Ends)^[3] and Spolokh (The Flare)^[4], which reflect on the struggles and spirit of the Don Cossacks.

After 1927, due to personal hardships, including his wife’s prolonged illness, Alnikin ceased writing poetry.

Alnikin spent the rest of his life in France, working as a geologist and remaining connected to the Russian émigré community. He passed away in Nice in 1987 and is buried in the Russian cemetery there.

Nikolay Alnikin is remembered as a significant figure in the cultural life of the Russian diaspora, blending his poetic vision with the history of his homeland.

• VIAF entry on Alnikin
• Museum of Cossack Heritage
• Nikolay Alnikin at Find a Grave