Many wars have been written in the history of Russia. Most of them were liberation ones, some began on our territory and ended far beyond its borders. But there is nothing worse than such wars, which were started as a result of the illiterate actions of the country's leadership and led to terrible results because the authorities were solving their own problems, not paying attention to the people.
One of these sad pages russian history - Chechen War. This was not a confrontation between two different nations... In this war, there was no absolute right. And the most amazing thing is that this war still cannot be considered over.
Prerequisites for the start of the war in Chechnya
It is hardly possible to talk about these military campaigns briefly. The era of perestroika, so pompously declared by Mikhail Gorbachev, marked the collapse of a huge country, consisting of 15 republics. However, the main difficulty for Russia was also the fact that, left without satellites, it faced internal fermentations of a nationalist character. The Caucasus turned out to be especially problematic in this respect.
Back in 1990, the National Congress was established. This organization was headed by Dzhokhar Dudayev, former major general aviation in Soviet army... The Congress set its main goal - secession from the USSR, in the future it was supposed to create the Chechen Republic, independent from any state.
In the summer of 1991, a situation of dual power developed in Chechnya, since both the leadership of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic itself and the leadership of the so-called Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, proclaimed by Dudayev, operated.
This state of affairs could not exist for a long time, and the same Dzhokhar and his supporters in September seized the republican television center, the Supreme Soviet and the House of Radio. This was the beginning of the revolution. The situation was extremely volatile, and its development was facilitated by the official collapse of the country, carried out by Yeltsin. After news that the Soviet Union no longer existed, Dudayev's supporters announced that Chechnya was seceding from Russia.
The separatists seized power - under their influence, parliamentary and presidential elections were held in the republic on October 27, as a result of which power was completely in the hands of ex-General Dudayev. A few days later, on November 7, Boris Yeltsin signed a decree stating that a state of emergency was being introduced in the Chechen-Ingush Republic. In fact, this document became one of the reasons for the beginning of the bloody Chechen wars.
At that time, there were quite a lot of ammunition and weapons in the republic. Some of these reserves have already been seized by the separatists. Instead of blocking the situation, the leadership of the Russian Federation allowed it to get out of control even more - in 1992, Defense Minister Grachev handed over half of all these reserves to the militants. The authorities explained this decision by the fact that it was no longer possible to withdraw weapons from the republic at that time.
However, during this period there was still an opportunity to stop the conflict. An opposition was created to oppose Dudayev's rule. However, after it became clear that these small detachments could not resist the militant formations, the war was practically already on.
Yeltsin and his political supporters could no longer do anything, and from 1991 to 1994 it was in fact an independent republic from Russia. Here, its own government bodies were formed, there was its own state symbols. In 1994, when Russian troops entered the republic, a full-scale war broke out. Even after the resistance of Dudayev's militants was suppressed, the problem was never finally resolved.
Speaking about the war in Chechnya, it should be borne in mind that the blame for its unleashing, first of all, was the illiterate leadership, first of the USSR, and then of Russia. It was the weakening of the internal political situation in the country that led to the shattering of the outskirts and the strengthening of nationalist elements.
As for the essence of the Chechen war, there is a conflict of interests and an inability to lead vast territory from the side of first Gorbachev, and then Yeltsin. In the future, it was the people who came to power at the very end of the twentieth century to untie this tangled knot.
First Chechen War 1994-1996
Historians, writers and filmmakers are still trying to assess the scale of the horrors of the Chechen war. No one denies that it caused enormous damage not only to the republic itself, but to the whole of Russia. However, it should be borne in mind that the nature of the two campaigns was quite different.
During the Yeltsin era, when the first Chechen campaign of 1994-1996 was unleashed, Russian troops could not act smoothly and smoothly enough. The country's leadership was solving its own problems, moreover, according to some information, many profited from this war - arms were supplied to the republic from the Russian Federation, and the militants often earned money by demanding large ransoms for hostages.
At the same time, the main task of the Second Chechen War of 1999-2009 was the suppression of bandit formations and the establishment of constitutional order. It is clear that if the goals of both campaigns were different, then the course of action was significantly different.
On December 1, 1994, air strikes were carried out on airfields located in Khankala and Kalinovskaya. And on December 11, Russian units were brought into the territory of the republic. This fact marked the beginning of the First Campaign. The entrance was carried out from three directions at once - through Mozdok to, through Ingushetia and through Dagestan.
By the way, at that time Ground forces led by Eduard Vorobyov, but he immediately resigned, considering it unreasonable to lead the operation, since the troops were completely unprepared for full-scale hostilities.
At first, the Russian troops advanced quite successfully. The entire northern territory was occupied by them quickly and without any special losses. From December 1994 to March 1995, the RF Armed Forces stormed Grozny. The city was built up quite densely, and Russian units were simply stuck in gunfights and attempts to take the capital.
Russian Defense Minister Grachev hoped to take the city very quickly and therefore did not spare human and technical resources. Researchers estimate that more than 1,500 Russian soldiers and many civilians in the republic have died or gone missing near Grozny. Armored vehicles also suffered serious damage - almost 150 units were out of order.
Nevertheless, after two months of fierce fighting, federal troops nevertheless took Grozny. The participants in the hostilities later recalled that the city was destroyed almost to the ground, this is also confirmed by numerous photographs and video documents.
During the assault, not only armored vehicles were used, but also aviation and artillery. There were bloody battles on almost every street. During the operation in Grozny, the militants lost more than 7,000 people and, under the leadership of Shamil Basayev, on March 6 were forced to finally leave the city, which came under the control of the Russian Armed Forces.
However, the war, which killed thousands of not only armed, but also civilians, did not end there. Fighting continued first on the plains (from March to April), and then in the mountainous regions of the republic (from May to June 1995). Argun, Shali, Gudermes were sequentially taken.
The militants responded with terrorist acts carried out in Budennovsk and Kizlyar. After varying successes of both sides, it was decided to negotiate. And as a result, on August 31, 1996, they were concluded. According to them, federal troops were leaving Chechnya, the infrastructure of the republic was to be restored, and the question of an independent status was postponed.
Second Chechen campaign 1999-2009
If the country's authorities hoped that by reaching an agreement with the militants, they had solved the problem and the battles of the Chechen war remained in the past, then everything turned out to be wrong. For several years of a dubious truce, the bandit formations have only accumulated strength. In addition, more and more Islamists from Arab countries entered the republic.
As a result, on August 7, 1999, Khattab and Basayev's militants invaded Dagestan. Their calculation was based on the fact that the Russian government at that time looked very weak. Yeltsin practically did not lead the country, the Russian economy was in deep decline. The militants hoped that they would side with them, but they put up serious resistance to the bandit groups.
The reluctance to allow Islamists into their territory and the help of federal troops forced the Islamists to retreat. True, this took a month - the militants were knocked out only in September 1999. At that time, Chechnya was led by Aslan Maskhadov, and, unfortunately, he was not able to exercise full control over the republic.
It was at this time, angry that it was not possible to break Dagestan, that the Islamist groups began to carry out terrorist acts on the territory of Russia. In Volgodonsk, Moscow and Buinaksk, terrible terrorist acts were committed, which claimed dozens of lives. Therefore, among those killed in the Chechen war, it is necessary to include those civilians who never thought that it would come to their families.
In September 1999, a decree was issued "On measures to improve the effectiveness of counter-terrorism operations in the North Caucasus region. Russian Federation"Signed by Yeltsin. And on December 31, he announced his resignation from the presidency.
As a result of the presidential elections, power in the country passed to a new leader - Vladimir Putin, whose tactical abilities the militants did not take into account. But at that time, Russian troops were already on the territory of Chechnya, again bombed Grozny and acted much more competently. The experience of the previous campaign was taken into account.
December 1999 is another of the painful and terrible pages of the war. The Argun Gorge was otherwise called the "Wolf Gate" - one of the largest in length in the Caucasus gorges. Here paratroopers and border troops A special operation "Argun" was carried out, the purpose of which was to recapture a section of the Russian-Georgian border from Khattab's troops, and also to deprive the militants of the path of supplying weapons from the Pankisi Gorge. The operation was completed in February 2000.
Many also remember the feat of the 6th company of the 104th parachute regiment of the Pskov Airborne Division. These fighters have become real heroes of the Chechen war. They withstood a terrible battle at the 776th height, when they, in the number of only 90 people, managed to hold back over 2,000 militants for a day. Most of the paratroopers died, and the militants themselves lost almost a quarter of their strength.
Despite such cases, the second war, unlike the first, can be called a sluggish one. Perhaps that is why it lasted longer - many things happened over the years of these battles. The new Russian authorities decided to act differently. They refused to conduct active hostilities conducted by federal troops. It was decided to use the internal split in Chechnya itself. Thus, Mufti Akhmat Kadyrov went over to the side of the federals, and more and more often there were situations when ordinary militants laid down their arms.
Putin, realizing that such a war could last indefinitely, decided to use internal political fluctuations and persuade the authorities to cooperate. Now we can say that he succeeded. The fact that on May 9, 2004 the Islamists carried out a terrorist attack in Grozny, aimed at intimidating the population, also played a role. The explosion thundered at the Dynamo stadium during a concert, dedicated to the Victory. More than 50 people were injured, and Akhmat Kadyrov died from his injuries.
This notorious terrorist attack brought very different results. The population of the republic was finally disappointed in the militants and rallied around the legitimate government. A young man was appointed to replace his father, who understood the futility of Islamist resistance. Thus, the situation began to change for the better. If the militants relied on attracting foreign mercenaries from abroad, the Kremlin decided to use national interests. Residents of Chechnya were very tired of the war, so they already voluntarily sided with the pro-Russian forces.
The counterterrorist operation, introduced by Yeltsin on September 23, 1999, was canceled by President Dmitry Medvedev in 2009. Thus, the campaign was officially ended, since it was not called a war, but a WHO. However, can it be considered that veterans of the Chechen war can sleep peacefully if there are still local battles and terrorist attacks from time to time?
Results and consequences for the history of Russia
Hardly anyone can today give a concrete answer to the question of how many people died in the Chechen war. The problem is that any calculations will only be approximate. During the aggravation of the conflict before the First Campaign, many people of Slavic origin were repressed or forced to leave the republic. During the years of the First Campaign, many fighters died on both sides, and these losses also defy accurate calculation.
If the military losses can still be more or less calculated, then no one was involved in clarifying the losses on the part of the civilian population, except perhaps human rights activists. Thus, according to the current official data, the 1st war claimed the following number of lives:
- russian soldiers - 14,000;
- militants - 3,800 people;
- civilian population - from 30,000 to 40,000 people.
In terms of the Second Campaign, the death toll results are as follows:
- federal troops - about 3,000 people;
- militants - from 13,000 to 15,000 people;
- civilian population - 1000 people.
It should be borne in mind that these numbers are very different depending on which organizations are reporting them. For example, discussing the results of the second Chechen war, official Russian sources speak of a thousand civilian deaths. At the same time, Amnesty International (an international non-governmental organization) cites completely different figures - about 25,000 people. The difference in this data, as you can see, is huge.
The result of the war can be called not only the impressive numbers of casualties among the killed, wounded, and missing people. It is also a destroyed republic - after all, many cities, first of all, Grozny, were subjected to artillery shelling and bombing. The entire infrastructure was practically destroyed in them, so Russia had to rebuild the capital of the republic from scratch.
As a result, today Grozny is one of the most beautiful and modern. Other settlements of the republic were also rebuilt.
Anyone who is interested in this information can find out what happened in the territory from 1994 to 2009. There are many films about the Chechen war, books and various materials on the Internet.
However, those who were forced to leave the republic, have lost their relatives and health - these people hardly want to immerse themselves in what they have already experienced. The country was able to withstand this most difficult period of its history, and once again proved that it is more important for them - dubious calls for independence or unity with Russia.
The history of the Chechen war has not yet been fully understood. Researchers will be looking for documents on casualties among the military and civilians for a long time, rechecking statistics. But today we can say: the weakening of the top and the desire for disunity always lead to dire consequences. Only the strengthening of state power and the unity of the people can end any confrontation so that the country can live in peace again.
The hostilities in the first campaign in Chechnya continued for almost two years. Losses federal forces in the first Chechen war were, according to official data, 4103 killed, 1906 missing, 19 794 wounded.
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15 years ago, one of the most tragic events began recent history Of Russia
15 years ago, one of the most tragic events in the modern history of Russia began - Chechen War.
On December 11, 1994, Russian troops crossed the administrative border with the rebellious republic to restore constitutional order. Ahead were the New Year's assault on Grozny, the seizure of the maternity hospital in Budennovsk by the militants, the humiliating Khasavyurt agreements. Then there was the second act of the tragedy with the invasion of Wahhabite militants into Dagestan and the counter-terrorist operation. The war that cost Russia thousands and thousands of lives of soldiers and civilians.
The centrifugal tendencies that were growing in Russia after the collapse of the USSR also strongly affected Chechnya. Back in August 1991, the leadership of the Chechen Republic announced its state sovereignty and secession from the RSFSR and the USSR. However, the country was then shaken by loud political events, and nobody cared about the North Caucasian republic. The saddest thing is that the statement by Russian Defense Minister Pavel Grachev in 1994 that Grozny could be taken by one parachute regiment was very relevant in the very beginning of the 90s. However, instead of taking emergency measures to suppress separatist actions, troops were withdrawn from Chechnya (while part of the army's weapons was left behind), and Dudayev was given complete freedom of action. He was given three years to arm and prepare.
Speaker of the republican parliament Dukuvakha Abdurakhmanov, who in 1994 headed the Gudermes district and was in opposition to Dudayev, is confident that hostilities in Chechnya could have been avoided if Yeltsin and Dudayev had met and discussed the current situation. “I, a participant in the events of those years, can say with confidence: Dudayev at that time was ready to accept many of the Kremlin's proposals. A meeting with Yeltsin could have prevented a war, but it was not profitable for their entourage, and relations were artificially heated, ”recalls Abdurakhmanov.
However, the country's leadership nevertheless saw a threat to the country's integrity, and on December 9, 1994, Yeltsin signed a decree "On measures to suppress the activities of illegal armed groups on the territory of the Chechen Republic and in the zone of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict."
1994-96 events showed rather not the weakness of the army, but the absence of a clear position of the authorities. Despite the mistakes made in planning and conducting the military operation, by the spring of 1995 the militants were pressed against the mountains, but the seizure of the Budennovsk hospital by Shamil Basayev's gang followed, followed by a triumphant return to Chechnya, and the war continued. The Khasavyurt peace agreements were signed a month after the presidential elections, in which Yeltsin won with a minimal advantage over the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov. Shortly before the second round, he went to Chechnya, where on the armored personnel carrier he signed a decree on the withdrawal russian troops.
Time from 1996 to 1999 it was just a respite. For several years, thousands of Russian families, representatives of other nationalities, have left the republic. The regions closest to Chechnya suffered from terror. After the invasion of Dagestan in summer 1999 by militants Shamil Basayev and the Arab Khattab, the second Chechen campaign began. A counter-terrorist operation regime was introduced in the republic, which lasted almost 10 years and was canceled only on April 16 of this year. As a result of the second campaign, virtually all of the militant leaders were killed.
However, the final "reconciliation" in the North Caucasus never happened. Wahhabis continue to be active throughout the region. Experts believe that the situation in Chechnya is now calmer than in neighboring Ingushetia and Dagestan, where terrorist jamaats are operating.
The current president of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, believes that the Chechen war was part of the West's global plan aimed at the collapse of the USSR and, after it, Russia. “Today it is no secret to anyone that the Soviet Union was dismembered against the will of the people,” he told reporters in Grozny today. - In the West, they decided that it is impossible to stop there. It is necessary to ignite the fire of a local war, which will cover all new regions and lead at least to the weakening of Russia, and possibly to its collapse. " According to him, “the stake was also placed on the fact that by provoking a war in Chechnya, it would be possible to give it the character of an interreligious conflict, to involve regions with a Muslim population in it, and then along the chain to cause mass riots in the country on interethnic grounds.”
“I was a teenager then. It seemed to me that russian generals Dudayev and Grachev will find a common language, but they have found the wrong language. The older ones said that they were letting the military depots be taken away, which means there will be a war, ”Kadyrov recalls. The Chechen President notes that “the second campaign has become a real necessity. The country's new leadership was forced to take tough measures to prevent the spread of the conflict across the entire territory of Russia. "
Valery Korovin, leader of the Eurasian Youth Union, comments on the political science aspect of the Chechen conflict:
- The situation in Chechnya was laid down by the Soviet Constitution, where it was said that the Soviet Union consists of many national republics and formations. The concept of "national education" in international political science means that it seeks to create a national nation-state. And the concept of "nationality" is a people moving from an ethnic group to a nation-state. Therefore, the use of such terms presupposed the theoretical separation of a number of territorial entities. The Chechens took advantage of this: "Since we are a national republic, we have the right to independence." Until now, this legal and political science incident has not been exhausted. “We are the multinational people of Russia,” the Constitution says. This means that we are a state of many potential nation states, which is simply absurd. This situation led to the Chechen war 15 years ago, and may lead to the future. Only with the coming to power of Putin, at least the provision on sovereignty was removed from the Constitution of the national republics. And only this year Yakutia did it last. In the near future, it is necessary to move from a national-territorial to an administrative-territorial division in order to eliminate the very possibility of separatism.
The West benefited from the disintegration of Russia: it was necessary to finally cut off our country from the South Caucasus and from the exit to Iran. This required destabilization of the situation. A region was chosen where a stable harmonious Chechen ethnos lives. And they were told that they have the right to national sovereignty. But even the then leadership of Russia, President Boris Yeltsin, could not clearly explain to the Chechens why they do not have the right to their national state. Dudayev once said that he offered Yeltsin a personal meeting; he, in principle, was ready to compromise. Maybe there would be no war. But the extreme incompetence of the then leadership led to these tragic events.
The article tells briefly about the first Chechen war (1994-1996), which Russia waged on the territory of Chechnya. The conflict led to large losses among the Russian military personnel, as well as among the peaceful Chechen population.
- The course of the first Chechen war
- Results of the first Chechen war
Causes of the first Chechen war
- As a result of the events of 1991 and the secession of the republics from the USSR, similar processes began in the Chechen-Ingush ASSR. The nationalist movement in the republic was led by the former soviet general D. Dudaev. In 1991 he proclaimed the creation of the independent Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (CRI). A coup d'etat took place, as a result of which representatives of the previous government were overthrown. The main government offices were taken over by the nationalists. The introduction of a state of emergency by Boris Yeltsin in the republic could no longer change anything. The withdrawal of Russian troops begins.
CRI was an unrecognized republic not only in Russia, but throughout the world. Power rested on military force and criminal structures. Sources of income new government there were slave trade, robberies, drug and oil trade from the Russian pipeline passing through the territory of Chechnya. - In 1993, D. Dudayev carried out another coup d'etat, dispersed the parliament and the constitutional court. The constitution adopted after that confirmed D. Dudayev's personal power regime.
On the territory of CRI, opposition to the government arises in the form of the Provisional Council of the Chechen Republic. The Council enjoys the support of the Russian government, it receives material assistance, and employees of Russian special forces are sent to support it. There are military clashes between Dudayev's detachments and representatives of the opposition.
The course of the first Chechen war
- Even before the official declaration of hostilities at the beginning of December 1991, Russian aviation was striking a massive strike at Chechen airfields, destroying all enemy aircraft. B. Yeltsin signs a decree on the beginning of hostilities. The Russian army begins to invade Chechnya. During the first weeks, all northern Chechen regions came under Russian control, and Grozny was practically surrounded.
- From late December 1994 to March 1995 the storming of Grozny took place. Despite the significant superiority in numbers and weapons, the Russian army suffered heavy losses, and the assault took a long time. In the face of street fighting, heavy equipment russian army did not pose a serious threat, the militants easily destroyed tanks from grenade launchers. The bulk of the soldiers were untrained, there were no maps of the city, there was no well-established communication between the units. Already during the assault, the Russian command changes its tactics. With the support of artillery and aviation, the offensive is carried out by small airborne assault groups. The widespread use of artillery and bombing is turning Grozny into ruins. In March, the last detachments of militants leave it. Pro-Russian authorities are being created in the city.
- After a series of battles, the Russian army captures key regions and cities of Chechnya. However, retreating in time, the militants do not suffer serious losses. The war takes on a partisan character. Militants carry out terrorist attacks and surprise attacks on Russian army positions throughout Chechnya. In response, air strikes are launched, during which civilians often die. It makes you hate russian forces, the population is helping the militants. The situation was aggravated by the terrorist attacks in Budennovsk (1995) and Kizlyar (1996), during which many civilians and soldiers were killed, and the militants suffered practically no losses.
- In April 1996, D. Dudayev was killed as a result of an air strike, but this had no effect on the course of the war.
- On the eve of the presidential elections, Boris Yeltsin decided for political purposes to agree to a truce in a war unpopular among the people. In June 1996, an agreement was signed on an armistice, disarmament of the separatists and the withdrawal of Russian troops, but neither side fulfilled the terms of the agreement.
- Immediately after his victory in the elections, B. Yeltsin announced the resumption of hostilities. In August, militants undertook an assault on Grozny. Despite superior forces Russian troops were unable to hold the city. A number of settlements were seized by the separatists.
- The fall of Grozny led to the signing of the Khasavyurt agreements. The Russian army was withdrawn from Chechnya, the question of the republic's status was postponed for five years.
Results of the first Chechen war
- The Chechen war was supposed to end the illegal government on the territory of the republic. Overall successful fighting at the first stage of the war, the capture of Grozny did not lead to victory. Moreover, significant losses among Russian troops made the war extremely unpopular in Russia. The widespread use of aviation and artillery was accompanied by casualties among the civilian population, as a result of which the war acquired a protracted, partisan character. Russian troops held only major centers and were constantly attacked.
- The goal of the war was not achieved. After the withdrawal of Russian troops, power again fell into the hands of criminal and nationalist groups.
Exactly 20 years ago, the First Chechen War began. On December 11, 1994, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed Decree No. 2169 "On measures to ensure legality, law and order and public safety on the territory of the Chechen Republic." Later, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation recognized most of the decrees and decisions of the government, which justified the actions of the federal government in Chechnya, as consistent with the Constitution.
On the same day, units of the United Group of Forces (UGV), consisting of units of the Ministry of Defense and Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, entered the territory of Chechnya. The troops were divided into three groups and entered from three different sides - from the west from North Ossetia through Ingushetia, from the northwest from the Mozdok region of North Ossetia, directly bordering Chechnya, and from the east from the territory of Dagestan.
A well-known St. Petersburg political scientist, Doctor of Philosophy discusses the causes and consequences of the First Chechen War in an interview with Russian Narodnaya Liniya. Sergey Lebedev :
Why did the First Chechen War start? I discussed this topic in my book "Russian Ideas and Russian Business". You can't blame everything on personal hostile relations between Yeltsin and Khasbulatov, and then Dudayev. Some people suggest that they fought because of "black gold", but this is not true, because large reserves of oil are produced in Siberia and processed in the Urals. Moreover, at that time there was a shortage of oil in the Chechen Republic, so it was brought to Grozny even during the war.
What are the true reasons for the war ?! In my opinion, everything is simple and tragic. It was 1994, Parliament was shot last fall, an American dictatorship reigns in the country - in each ministry there were dozens of omniscient and omniscient Washington advisers. What problem did they face ?! It was necessary to finally dispose of the Russian state. But how can this be achieved if powerful armed forces remain in Russia, capable of challenging the United States ?! Let me remind you that in those days China was weak, although now it is not that strong. And Saddam Hussein was given a demonstrative flogging back in 1991. What should the American advisers do, because it will not be possible to simply disband the powerful armed forces? Therefore, it was decided to carry out a reform that destroys the Russian army, but to present it as a necessary and urgent decision. What is needed for this ?! A dirty little war, shamefully lost! As a result of this action, demand for reforms, since everything is supposedly bad and wrong in the army. In addition, a defeat in Chechnya would herald a "parade of sovereignties" and then the collapse of Russia. The rest of the republics would follow Chechnya. These were the deep-reaching designs that American advisers were hatching.
Until that time, Dudayev's Ichkeria had been fed for three years, starting in the fall of 1991, when the Maidan took place in Grozny and the former leader of the republic was overthrown, and Dudayev seized power. For all three years Chechnya did not recognize itself as a part of Russia, although the republic regularly received money for the social needs of the population - salaries, pensions, benefits. In turn, Russia did not receive a dime from Chechnya; oil was transported to an oil refinery in Grozny. The republic became at that time a zone where the mafia had its own territorial-political formation. The puppeteers understood that Chechens are courageous and wonderful warriors. It was in Latvia in August 1991 that 140 Riga riot policemen calmly established Soviet power on the territory of the republic. However, this scenario will not work in Chechnya. The Americans counted on the military impulse of the Chechens, stuffing them with weapons and choosing the right time - the sunset of 1994. Military operations began in winter, when the numerical and technical superiority of the federal forces, otherwise they were called "federals", came to naught in the highlands. Starting a war in December in the mountains is very difficult. But, nevertheless, it was for this reason that the war was started. The puppeteers counted on the shameful defeat of the Russian army, after which they would sign a peace treaty and the purge of the armed forces would begin. The Chechen war was conceived as a huge defeat for Russia, so it began in December, at the most inopportune time. For unknown reasons, not only Yeltsin, who was undergoing the operation, was absent from the post of Commander-in-Chief, but also the generals. The guys who were drafted into the army in the spring and autumn of 1994 were thrown into the war! The calculation was based on the defeat of the armed forces, but as always, when the headquarters calculates how to defeat Russia, it turns out that it is not at all what was intended.
From a military point of view, there were no defeats in the First Chechen War. Of course, there were setbacks at the beginning of the storming of Grozny, but, albeit with heavy losses, the city was taken and cleared of terrorists. At that time, there were also suspicious nuances when they demanded that the military take off body armor, etc. If there were private military failures, they were all explained by betrayal in the headquarters, because the Chechens knew almost everything. A spetsnaz officer who participated in the First Chechen War told me a story about how the Chechens put up a poster with a birthday greeting to the unit commander, his last name, first name, patronymic, the name of a military unit that had just arrived in Grozny. They knew not only classified information, but also the personal data of the commanders.
Most main Headquarters was the first traitor in the war, which was started with the aim of the shameful defeat of the federal forces. But it didn't work out. As General Lebed said, it was a custom-made military campaign. The Kremlin sometimes announced a truce in order not to crush the Chechens so quickly. At one time he announced the introduction of a moratorium on aviation flights, although from the point of view of common sense it was possible in the spring, when there was no dense greenery, to destroy the bandit formations with the help of aerial bombardments. Human rights defenders were lowered onto the military like dogs. The entire Russian "fourth estate" fought for Dudaev, and the soldiers were called "federals." This word has an ironic connotation, while the population was not yet accustomed to this term. Also, puppeteers created legends about bandits, they were glorified as freedom fighters, constantly spitting in the back of Russian soldiers!
This is an indicator of how our society has changed because of that war. A lot of people began to move away from the intoxication that had been going on since the days of glasnost and perestroika. An attempt to create an anti-war movement failed. Government officials - Gaidar, Yavlinsky - suddenly began to speak at rallies against the war in Chechnya! One of two things - if you are against the war, then resign, if for it, then do not interfere. The count was on the emergence of an anti-war movement along with the dispersal of the army, which would have arranged a hysteria that led to the collapse of the army. But eighteen-year-old conscripts took and broke the backs of the Chechen wolves. And what about military generals ?! Let's remember Rokhlin, Babichev, Kvashnin! All these generals of the First Chechen War showed outstanding abilities, fighting against the Chechens.
After the start of finishing off the bandit formations, a famous strange provocation followed - the Chechens seize Grozny while our troops were on maneuvers, and only the police remained in the city. Newspapers scribble at lightning speed about the imminent seizure of Grozny by the Chechens. But when General Vyacheslav Tikhomirov blocked the city, intending to destroy the militants with artillery fire, General Lebed flew in and signed a surrender in Khasavyurt. There was only one defeat in the First Chechen War - a political one. Militarily, despite a series of frequent setbacks, the war was won. The surrender in Khasavyurt was signed after the almost complete destruction of the bandit formation. The infamous role in this case was played by the media and traitors at the top.
From 1996 to 1999, Chechnya was again brewed in its own juice. By this time in Russia, after a decade of frenzied glorification of liberalism, "Russification" had taken place. The press covered the beginning of the Second Chechen War (1999-2000) in a completely different way. Is this war over, given the recent terrorist attack in Chechnya? Unfortunately, wars in the Caucasus have been going on for tens and hundreds of years.
To some extent, the view that the Kremlin is feeding the Caucasus is partly true. The masses of people with weapons were busy with something in these small conditions. No matter how we finance Chechnya, where over 90% of the revenue is the federal budget, no matter how it sounds, it is still cheaper than war.
An interesting situation has now emerged in the Caucasus. On the one hand, they were beaten well, but, on the other hand, they began to be appeased and respected. After a certain time, they will forget how they got it in the neck. Sooner or later, propitiating will lead to the fact that they will say - not enough, give more money! To avoid war, the Kremlin pursued a policy that was effective at first and yielded good results - it relied on local leaders, including Akhmat and Ramzan Kadyrov. So far it is effective. He was able to quite calmly integrate into normal life many militants. In the Caucasus, as the tsarist and Soviet experience shows, the most effective was the general governorship headed by a Russian general. Why Russian ?! Chechens are people of a clan society, and when one of the Chechens is in power, the other clans can feel offended. While current politics in Chechnya gives a good result, but it cannot be continued for long. Care must be taken to avoid a war that could break out with renewed vigor!
The siloviki drew conclusions from the two Chechen wars. Vladimir Putin came to power in 1999-2000 with considerable support, first of all, power structures... Among them were many people associated with the Chechen war, so they were determined to prevent formations like Ichkeria from appearing on Russian territory. It must be admitted that a number of military leaders who made their careers in both Chechen wars have entered the military-political elite. Of course, there are not many of them, but they are. Let us recall that Shamanov was not very effective, but still the governor, and General Troshev was engaged in the revival of the Cossacks. They are promoted to two Chechen wars.
The Kremlin made a conclusion about the media and about public organizations such as "Soldiers' Mothers". The conclusions were correct - it is impossible to completely prohibit and close such organizations, creating an aura of martyrdom for them, otherwise the Kremlin will be suspected of hiding something. The Kremlin put them on a short leash. Now a certain citizen Vasilyeva is trying to repeat the experience of human rights defenders of the 90s. She created the society "Cargo-200", gives interviews and is trying to prove something about the huge number of soldiers who died in the Donbass. Vasilyeva's fantasies have run out, so she lists all sorts of football teams where everyone is killed, or simply takes numbers from the lantern. Such individuals must be cleverly neutralized by directing them into the marginal sphere.
If we compare the information field of 1994 and the current one, this is heaven and earth. Of course, the victory is not final, but Putin's rating is known, which is acknowledged with gnashing of teeth by Western leaders who speak from the position of Chechen terrorists, "white ribbon", liberals and other anti-Putin opposition. Who are these puski, writers who have declared their desire to emigrate ?! For example, Akunin wants to be kicked out of the country in shame, like Solzhenitsyn did in his time. Akunin was told - go! Who needs him over the hill ?! It is very awkward to drain the opposition, showing what it is, without banning it.
In Soviet times, everything was prohibited, many people spoke in enthusiastic tones about Solzhenitsyn and Sakharov. But then they read what Sakharov wrote. Some daredevils who are trying to overcome the burden of Solzhenitsyn's novels are perplexed, but what did these authors want to say, did they really have such an influence on the minds ?! Solzhenitsyn and Sakharov would not have had that influence if they had not been gagged, but were allowed to speak, as they say, aside.
The Kremlin has learned the lessons of the First Chechen War. It was with the support of the siloviki that the regime change took place with the arrival of Putin. The Kremlin has realized the role of the media, and the fight against them should not be so primitive, in the spirit of "take and close". In pathetic terms, the guys who died in Chechnya did not die in vain! In Russia, they managed to overcome the real disintegration of the country, to preserve the armed forces, which received a certain tempering and experience. As often happens, they wanted to destroy Russia, but it turned out the opposite, the country got stronger in spite of the enemies.
Ever since the beginning of Gorbachev's "perestroika", nationalist groups began to "raise their heads" in many republics. For example, the National Congress of the Chechen People, which appeared in 1990. He set himself the task of getting Chechnya out of the Soviet Union. The primary goal was to create a completely independent state entity. The organization was headed by Dzhokhar Dudayev.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, it was Dudayev who announced the withdrawal of Chechnya from Russia. At the end of October 1991, elections were held to the executive and legislative bodies. Dzhokhar Dudayev was elected President of Chechnya.
Internal disagreements in Chechnya
In the summer of 1994 in public education clashes began. On one side were troops who had sworn allegiance to Dudayev. On the other, the forces of the Provisional Council that are in opposition to Dudayev. The latter received unofficial support from Russia. The parties found themselves in a difficult position, the losses were enormous.
Entering troops
At a meeting of the RF Security Council at the end of November 1994, Russia decides to send troops to Chechnya. Then Minister Yegorov said that 70% of the Chechen people would be for Russia in this matter.
On December 11, units of the Ministry of Defense and Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs entered Chechnya. The troops entered at once from 3 sides. The key blow came from the west and east. The north-western grouping advanced best. Already on December 12, she came close to the settlements located only 10 kilometers from the city of Grozny. Other divisions of the Russian Federation advanced successfully at the initial stage. They occupied the north of the republic almost unhindered.
The storming of Grozny
The assault on the capital of Chechnya began a few hours before the chimes, which marked the beginning of the New 1995. About 250 pieces of equipment were involved. The problem was that:
- The troops were initially ill-prepared.
- There was no coordination between divisions.
- The soldiers did not have any combat experience.
- Maps and aerial photographs of the city are out of date.
At first, armored vehicles were massively used, but then the tactics changed. The paratroopers went into action. In Grozny, grueling street fighting broke out. Only on March 6, the last detachment of separatists, led by Shamil Basayev, retreated from the city. A new pro-Russian administration was immediately formed in the capital. These were "elections on the bones", because the capital was completely destroyed.
Control over plain and mountainous areas
By April, federal troops occupied almost the entire flat territory of Chechnya. Because of this, the separatists switched to sabotage and partisan attacks. In the mountainous regions, it was possible to take control of a number of important settlements. It is noted that many separatists managed to leave. The militants often transferred part of their forces to other areas.
After the terrorist attack in Budennovsk, where a large number of people were injured and killed from 2 sides, it was possible to achieve the introduction of an indefinite moratorium on further hostilities.
At the end of June 1995, we agreed:
- about the exchange of prisoners according to the formula "all for all";
- about the withdrawal of troops;
- on holding elections.
However, the truce was violated (and more than once!). All over Chechnya there were small local clashes, so-called self-defense units were formed. In the second half of 1995, towns and villages passed from hand to hand. In mid-December, Russian-backed elections were held in Chechnya. They were nevertheless recognized as valid. The separatists boycotted everything.
In 1996, militants not only attacked various cities and villages, but also attempted to attack Grozny. In March of that year, they even managed to subjugate one of the districts of the capital. But federal troops managed to repel all attacks. True, this was done at the cost of the lives of many soldiers.
Liquidation of Dudaev
Naturally, from the very beginning of the conflict in Chechnya, the Russian special services were faced with the task of finding and neutralizing the leader of the separatists. All attempts to kill Dudayev were in vain. But the secret services received important information that he likes to talk on a satellite phone. On April 21, 1996, two Su-25 attack aircraft, having received coordinates thanks to the bearing of the telephone signal, fired 2 missiles at Dudaev's cortege. As a result, it was eliminated. The militants were left without a leader.
Negotiating with separatists
As you know, in 1996 presidential elections were to be held in Russia itself. Yeltsin needed victories in Chechnya. The war dragged on, it aroused mistrust among the Russians. Our young soldiers perished on "foreign" land. After the May negotiations, an armistice and an exchange of prisoners were announced on June 1.
Following the consultations in Nazran:
- elections were to be held on the territory of Chechnya;
- the militant units were to be completely disarmed;
- federal troops will be withdrawn.
But this truce was again violated. Nobody wanted to give in. Terror attacks began again, blood flowed like a river.
New battles
After Yeltsin's successful re-election, fighting in Chechnya resumed. In August 1996, the separatists not only fired at checkpoints, but also stormed Grozny, Argun and Gudermes. More than 2,000 Russian servicemen died in the battles for Grozny alone. How much more could there be to lose? Because of this, the authorities in the Russian Federation agreed to sign the famous agreements on the withdrawal of federal troops.
Khasavyurt agreements
August 31 was the last day of summer and the last day of hostilities. In the Dagestani city of Khasavyurt, sensational armistice agreements were signed. The final decision on the future of the republic was postponed "on the back burner". But the troops had to be withdrawn.
Outcome
Chechnya remained an independent republic, but no one legally recognized it as a state. The ruins remained as they were. The economy has been extremely criminalized. Due to incessant ethnic cleansing and active fighting, the country was "crucified". Almost the entire civilian population left the republic. There was not only a crisis in politics and economics, but also an unprecedented growth of Wahhabism. It was he who served as the reason for the invasion of militants into Dagestan, and then for the beginning of a new war.