Nichita Parfeni Smochină (Romanian pronunciation: [niˈkita smoˈkinə]; Moldovan Cyrillic: Никита Парфени Смокинэ, Russian: Никита Парфеньевич Смокина, Nikita Parfenievich Smokina; also known as Mihai Florin; March 14, 1894 – December 14, 1980) was an ethnic Romanian activist, scholar and political figure from what is now Transnistria, especially noted for campaigning on behalf of Romanians in the Soviet Union. He was first active in the Russian Empire, serving with distinction in World War I; he turned to Romanian nationalism in 1917, when he was serving as an officer in Russian Transcaucasia. In that context, Smochină met Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin, recording Lenin's then-tolerant views on Romanian emancipation. Smochină was then active in the Ukrainian People's Republic, where he led