The Chechen conflict

When Chechnya declared independence in 1991, the self-proclaimed President, Dzhokhar Dudayev, rejected a federation treaty with Russia. As a result, Moscow supported Dudayev’s opponents. Despite international protest, 40,000 Russian soldiers marched into Chechnya in December 1994. After a few months around 80% of the Chechen regions were under their control, including the capital Grozny.        

This resulted in a guerrilla war. Amongst other actions the rebels, under the leadership of Shamil Basayev, occupied a hospital in Budyonnovsk in South Russia and murdered 100 hostages. Moscow was forced to concede to the terrorists’ demands in order to avoid further bloodshed, and an agreement led to the end of hostilities in Chechnya. The rebels promised to hand over their weapons. However, 6,000 Russian soldiers remained stationed in Chechnya, and, when the rebels were persecuted, attacks on the civil population recommenced.         

The ceasefire did not last, however. Shortly afterwards, the rebels took revenge for the serious human rights violations perpetrated by the Russian army, and these also continued to be condemned by international opinion. Acts of terrorism continued in the struggle for independence.

After Dudayev’s death in April 1996 – he was killed by a Russian missile – the new head of the transitional government, Aslan Maskhadov, concluded a further ceasefire. As a consequence the Russian troops did actually withdraw and Maskhadov, who had in the meantime been elected head of state, signed a peace treaty in May 1997. However, this did not sufficiently clarify Chechnya’s political status.

The situation remained unstable. Numerous incidents of hostage taking and murder continued. Not even the state of emergency could ease the situation. Russian units invaded again in the summer of 1999. President Maskhadov went underground and joined the rebels. In March 2005 he was killed by the Russian army in a ‘special operation’.

The beginning of the second war in 1999 resulted in a heightened wave of terrorism, concentrated mainly in Moscow and other Russian towns. The Russian air force retaliated with attacks on Chechen towns and the army besieged the capital, Grozny, which had been largely destroyed, and captured it in January 2000. Looting by Russian armed forces and Chechen bandits was the order of the day, and numerous oil wells were destroyed. The supply situation deteriorated rapidly, leading to a humanitarian catastrophe with hundreds of thousands fleeing into neighbouring Ingushetia.

Since then Grozny has been in ruins. The Russian policy of occupation has not yet led to a solution. In the meantime Moscow regards the war (officially an anti-terror campaign) as over. In spite of this, the army and special purpose forces continue to fight against the rebels with undiminished harshness. Human rights organisations speak of targeted genocide.

A decree was issued, putting the republic of Chechnya under the direct rule of the Kremlin. There are conflicting reports about the number of victims the conflict produced. Up to 250,000 people are believed to have lost their lives. Most leading politicians in the West remain silent on Putin’s Chechen policy and in Russia, news is censored.