Chechen wars. Wars in Chechnya

Armed conflict in 1994-1996 (the first Chechen war)

Chechen armed conflict in 1994-1996 - military operations between the Russian federal troops (forces) and the armed formations of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, created in violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation.

In the autumn of 1991, in the context of the beginning of the collapse of the USSR, the leadership of the Chechen Republic announced the state sovereignty of the republic and its secession from the USSR and the RSFSR. Organs Soviet power on the territory of the Chechen Republic were dissolved, the effect of the laws of the Russian Federation was canceled. The formation of the armed forces of Chechnya began, headed by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief President of the Chechen Republic Dzhokhar Dudayev. Defense lines were built in Grozny, as well as bases for waging a sabotage war in mountainous regions.

The Dudayev regime had, according to the calculations of the Ministry of Defense, 11-12 thousand people (according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, up to 15 thousand) regular troops and 30-40 thousand armed militia, of which 5 thousand were mercenaries from Afghanistan, Iran, Jordan, the republics of the North Caucasus and etc.

On December 9, 1994, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed Decree No. 2166 "On Measures to Suppress the Activities of Illegal Armed Groups on the Territory of the Chechen Republic and in the Ossetian-Ingush Conflict Zone." On the same day, the Government of the Russian Federation adopted Decree No. 1360, which provided for the disarmament of these formations by force.

On December 11, 1994, the advance of troops began in the direction of the Chechen capital - the city of Grozny. On December 31, 1994, troops, on the orders of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, began the assault on Grozny. Russian armored columns were stopped and blocked by Chechens in different parts of the city, combat units of the federal forces that entered Grozny suffered heavy losses.

(Military encyclopedia. Moscow. In 8 volumes 2004)

The further course of events was extremely negatively affected by the failure of the eastern and western groupings of troops, and the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs also failed to complete the task.

Fighting stubbornly, federal troops took Grozny by February 6, 1995. After the capture of Grozny, the troops began to destroy illegal armed formations in other settlements and in the mountainous regions of Chechnya.

From April 28 to May 12, 1995, in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, a moratorium was implemented on the use of armed force in Chechnya.

Illegal armed formations (IAF), using the negotiation process that had begun, carried out the redeployment of part of the forces from the mountainous regions to the locations of Russian troops, formed new groups of militants, fired at checkpoints and positions of federal forces, organized terrorist attacks on an unprecedented scale in Budyonnovsk (June 1995), Kizlyar and Pervomaisky (January 1996).

On August 6, 1996, after heavy defensive battles, the federal troops left Grozny, having suffered heavy losses. The illegal armed formations also entered Argun, Gudermes and Shali.

On August 31, 1996, ceasefire agreements were signed in Khasavyurt, ending the first Chechen war. After the conclusion of the agreement, the troops were withdrawn from the territory of Chechnya in the shortest possible time from September 21 to December 31, 1996.

On May 12, 1997, the Treaty on Peace and Principles of Relations between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria was concluded.

The Chechen side, not observing the terms of the agreement, took a line towards the immediate withdrawal of the Chechen Republic from Russia. Terror in relation to employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and representatives of local authorities has intensified, attempts have intensified to rally around Chechnya on an anti-Russian basis the population of other North Caucasian republics.

Counter-terrorist operation in Chechnya in 1999-2009 (second Chechen war)

In September 1999, a new phase of the Chechen military campaign began, which was called the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus (CTO). The reason for the start of the operation was the massive invasion of Dagestan on August 7, 1999 from the territory of Chechnya by militants under the overall command of Shamil Basayev and the Arab mercenary Khattab. The group included foreign mercenaries and Basayev's militants.

For more than a month there were battles between the federal forces and the invading militants, which ended with the fact that the militants were forced to retreat from the territory of Dagestan back to Chechnya.

On the same days - September 4-16 - in several Russian cities (Moscow, Volgodonsk and Buynaksk) a series of terrorist acts were carried out - explosions of residential buildings.

Considering Maskhadov's inability to control the situation in Chechnya, the Russian leadership decided to military operation for the destruction of militants on the territory of Chechnya. On September 18, the borders of Chechnya were blocked by Russian troops. On September 23, the President of the Russian Federation issued a Decree "On Measures to Increase the Efficiency of Counter-Terrorist Operations on the Territory of the North Caucasus Region of the Russian Federation", which provides for the creation of a Joint Group of Troops (Forces) in the North Caucasus to carry out counter-terrorist operation.

On September 23, Russian aviation began bombing the capital of Chechnya and its environs. On September 30, a ground operation began - armored units of the Russian army from the Stavropol Territory and Dagestan entered the territory of the Naursky and Shelkovsky regions of the republic.

In December 1999, the entire flat part of the territory of the Chechen Republic was liberated. The militants concentrated in the mountains (about 3,000 people) and settled in Grozny. On February 6, 2000, Grozny was taken under the control of federal forces. To fight in the mountainous regions of Chechnya, in addition to the eastern and western groups operating in the mountains, a new grouping "Center" was created.

On February 25-27, 2000, the "West" units blocked Kharsenoy, and the "Vostok" group closed the militants in the area of Ulus-Kert, Dachu-Borzoy, Yaryshmardy. On March 2, Ulus-Kert was liberated.

The last large-scale operation was the liquidation of Ruslan Gelaev's group in the area of the village. Komsomolskoye, which ended on March 14, 2000. After that, the militants switched to sabotage and terrorist methods of warfare, and the federal forces countered the terrorists with the actions of special forces and operations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

During the CTO in Chechnya in 2002, a hostage-taking took place in the Theater Center on Dubrovka in Moscow. In 2004, a hostage-taking took place at school number 1 in the city of Beslan in North Ossetia.

By the beginning of 2005, after the destruction of Maskhadov, Khattab, Baraev, Abu al-Walid and many other field commanders, the intensity of the sabotage and terrorist activities of the militants had significantly decreased. The only large-scale operation of the militants (a raid on Kabardino-Balkaria on October 13, 2005) ended in failure.

From midnight on April 16, 2009, the National Anti-Terrorist Committee (NAC) of Russia, on behalf of President Dmitry Medvedev, abolished the CTO regime on the territory of the Chechen Republic.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

22 years ago, on December 11, 1994, the First Chechen War began. With the issuance of the decree of the President of Russia "On measures to ensure the rule of law, law and order and public security on the territory of the Chechen Republic," the Russian forces of the regular army entered the territory of Chechnya. The reference of the "Caucasian Knot" presents a chronicle of the events that preceded the start of the war, and describes the course of hostilities up to the "New Year's" assault on Grozny on December 31, 1994.

The First Chechen War lasted from December 1994 to August 1996. According to Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, in 1994-1995 in Chechnya, a total of about 26 thousand people died, including 2 thousand people - Russian military personnel, 10-15 thousand - militants, and the rest of the losses - civilians. According to General A. Lebed, the number of deaths is only among civilians amounted to 70-80 thousand people and military personnel of the federal troops - 6-7 thousand people.

Chechnya's exit from Moscow's control

The turn of the 1980-1990s in the post-Soviet space was marked by a "parade of sovereignties" - Soviet republics different levels(both the SSR and the ASSR) adopted one after another declarations of state sovereignty. On June 12, 1990, the first Republican Congress of People's Deputies adopted the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the RSFSR. On August 6, Boris Yeltsin uttered his famous phrase in Ufa: "Take as much sovereignty as you can swallow."

On November 23-25, 1990, the Chechen National Congress was held in Grozny, which elected the Executive Committee (subsequently transformed into the Executive Committee of the National Congress of the Chechen People (OKCHN). Major General Dzhokhar Dudayev became its chairman. The Congress adopted a declaration on the formation of the Chechen Republic Nokhchi-Cho A few days later, on November 27, 1990, the Supreme Council of the Republic adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty.Later, in July 1991, the second congress of the OKChN announced the withdrawal of the Chechen Republic of Nokhchi-Cho from the USSR and the RSFSR.

During August coup In 1991, the Chechen-Ingush Republican Committee of the CPSU, the Supreme Council and the government of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic supported the State Emergency Committee. In turn, the OKChN, which was in opposition, opposed the GKChP and demanded the resignation of the government and secession from the USSR and the RSFSR. Ultimately, a political split occurred in the republic between the supporters of the OKChN (Dzhokhar Dudayev) and the Supreme Council (Zavgaev).

On November 1, 1991, the elected President of Chechnya, D. Dudayev, issued a decree "On declaring the sovereignty of the Chechen Republic." In response to this, on November 8, 1991, B.N. Yeltsin signed a decree on the introduction of a state of emergency in Checheno-Ingushetia, but practical measures to implement it failed - two planes with special forces that landed at the airfield in Khankala were blocked by supporters of independence. On November 10, 1991, the OKCHN executive committee called for breaking off relations with Russia.

As early as November 1991, supporters of D. Dudayev began seizing military towns, weapons and property of the Armed Forces and Internal Troops on the territory of the Chechen Republic. On November 27, 1991, D. Dudayev issued a decree on the nationalization of weapons and equipment of military units located on the territory of the republic. By June 8, 1992, all federal troops had left the territory of Chechnya, leaving a large number of equipment, weapons and ammunition.

In the autumn of 1992, the situation in the region sharply worsened again, this time due to the Ossetian-Ingush conflict in the Prigorodny district. Dzhokhar Dudayev announced the neutrality of Chechnya, however, during the escalation of the conflict, Russian troops entered the administrative border of Chechnya. On November 10, 1992, Dudayev declared a state of emergency, the creation of a mobilization system and self-defense forces of the Chechen Republic began.

In February 1993, disagreements between the Chechen parliament and D. Dudayev escalated. The disagreements that emerged eventually led to the dispersal of the parliament and the consolidation of Chechen opposition politicians around Umar Avturkhanov, who became the head of the Provisional Council of the Chechen Republic. The contradictions between the structures of Dudayev and Avturkhanov escalated into an assault on Grozny by the Chechen opposition.

At dawn on November 26, 1994 large forces of opponents of Dudayev entered Grozny . The tanks reached the city center without any problems, where they were soon shot from grenade launchers. Many tankers were killed, dozens were taken prisoner. It turned out that they were all Russian servicemen recruited Federal Service counterintelligence. For more information about these events and the fate of the prisoners, see the information of the "Caucasian Knot" "November assault on Grozny (1994)".

After an unsuccessful assault, the Security Council of the Russian Federation decided on a military operation against Chechnya. BN Yeltsin issued an ultimatum: either the bloodshed in Chechnya would stop, or Russia would be forced to "go to extreme measures."

Preparing for war

Active fighting on the territory of Chechnya have been carried out since the end of September 1994. In particular, opposition forces carried out pinpoint bombardments of military facilities on the territory of the republic. The armed formations that opposed Dudayev were armed with Mi-24 attack helicopters and Su-24 attack aircraft, which did not have identification marks. According to some reports, Mozdok became the base for the deployment of aviation. However, the press service of the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff, the headquarters of the North Caucasian Military District, the Air Force Command and the Army Aviation Command ground forces categorically denied that the helicopters and attack aircraft bombing Chechnya belonged to the Russian army.

On November 30, 1994, President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin signed a secret decree No. 2137s "On measures to restore constitutional law and order on the territory of the Chechen Republic", which provided for "disarmament and liquidation of armed formations on the territory of the Chechen Republic" .

According to the text of the decree, from December 1, it was ordered, in particular, "to carry out measures to restore constitutional law and order in the Chechen Republic", to begin disarmament and liquidation of armed formations, to organize negotiations to resolve the armed conflict on the territory of the Chechen Republic by peaceful means.

On November 30, 1994, P. Grachev announced that "an operation has begun to forcibly transfer to the central regions of Russia officers of the Russian army who are fighting against Dudayev on the side of the opposition." On the same day in telephone conversation Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation with Dudayev, an agreement was reached on "the inviolability of Russian citizens captured in Chechnya."

On December 8, 1994, a closed meeting of the State Duma of the Russian Federation took place regarding the Chechen events. At the meeting, a resolution "On the situation in the Chechen Republic and measures for its political settlement" was adopted, according to which the activities executive power to resolve the conflict is considered unsatisfactory. A group of deputies sent a telegram to B.N. Yeltsin, in which they warned him of responsibility for the bloodshed in Chechnya and demanded a public explanation of their position.

On December 9, 1994, the President of the Russian Federation issued Decree No. 2166 "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." By this decree, the president instructed the Russian government "to use all the means available to the state to ensure state security, the rule of law, the rights and freedoms of citizens, the protection public order, the fight against crime, the disarmament of all illegal armed formations ". On the same day, the government of the Russian Federation adopted Decree No. 1360 "On ensuring the state security and territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, the rule of law, the rights and freedoms of citizens, the disarmament of illegal armed formations on the territory of the Chechen Republic and adjacent to it regions of the North Caucasus", which a number of ministries and departments were entrusted with the obligation to introduce and maintain a special regime on the territory of Chechnya, similar to an emergency, without a formal declaration of a state of emergency or martial law.

The documents adopted on December 9 provided for the use of the troops of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the concentration of which continued on the administrative borders of Chechnya. Meanwhile, on December 12, negotiations between the Russian and Chechen sides were to begin in Vladikavkaz.

The beginning of a full-scale military campaign

On December 11, 1994, Boris Yeltsin signed Decree No. 2169 "On measures to ensure the rule of law, law and order and social activities on the territory of the Chechen Republic", repealing Decree No. 2137c. On the same day, the President addressed the citizens of Russia, in which, in particular, he stated: "Our goal is to find political decision problems of one of the subjects of the Russian Federation - the Chechen Republic - to protect its citizens from armed extremism".

On the day the decree was signed, units of the troops of the Ministry of Defense and Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation entered the territory of Chechnya. The troops advanced in three columns from three directions: Mozdok (from the north through the regions of Chechnya controlled by the anti-Dudaev opposition), Vladikavkaz (from the west from North Ossetia through Ingushetia) and Kizlyar (from the east, from the territory of Dagestan).

Troops moving from the north passed unhindered through Chechnya to settlements located about 10 kilometers north of Grozny, where they first encountered armed resistance. Here, near the village of Dolinsky, on December 12, Russian troops were fired from the Grad installation by a detachment of field commander Vakha Arsanov. As a result of the shelling, 6 Russian servicemen were killed and 12 wounded, more than 10 armored vehicles were burned. The "Grad" installation was destroyed by return fire.

On the line Dolinsky - the village of Pervomaiskaya, Russian troops stopped and established fortifications. Mutual shelling began. During December 1994, as a result of the shelling of settlements by Russian troops, numerous victims appeared among civilians.

Another column of Russian troops, moving from Dagestan, was stopped on December 11 before crossing the border with Chechnya, in the Khasavyurt region, where Akkin Chechens live mainly. Crowds of local residents blocked the columns of troops, while individual groups of servicemen were captured and then transferred to Grozny.

A column of Russian troops moving from the west through Ingushetia was blocked by local residents and fired upon near the village of Varsuki (Ingushetia). Three APCs and four vehicles were damaged. As a result of return fire, the first civilian casualties appeared. Helicopters fired on the Ingush village of Gazi-Yurt. Using force, Russian troops passed through the territory of Ingushetia. On December 12, this column of federal troops was fired upon from the direction of the village of Assinovskaya in Chechnya. Among the Russian servicemen were killed and wounded, in response, fire was also opened on the village, which led to the death of local residents. Near the village of Novy Sharoy, a crowd of residents of nearby villages blocked the road. The further advance of the Russian troops would have led to the need to shoot at unarmed people, and then to clashes with the militia detachment organized in each of the villages. These detachments were armed with machine guns, machine guns and grenade launchers. In the area located south of the village of Bamut, regular armed formations of the ChRI were based, which had heavy weapons.

As a result, in the west of Chechnya, federal forces entrenched themselves along the line of the conditional border of the Chechen Republic in front of the villages of Samashki - Davydenko - Novy Sharoy - Achkhoy-Martan - Bamut.

On December 15, 1994, against the backdrop of the first setbacks in Chechnya, Russian Defense Minister P. Grachev removed from command and control a group of senior officers who refused to send troops into Chechnya and expressed a desire "before the start of a major military operation that could entail great casualties among the peaceful of the population", receive a written order from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The leadership of the operation was entrusted to the commander of the North Caucasus Military District, Colonel-General A. Mityukhin.

On December 16, 1994, the Federation Council adopted a resolution in which it proposed that the President of the Russian Federation immediately stop hostilities and the advancement of troops and enter into negotiations. On the same day, Prime Minister of Russia V.S. Chernomyrdin announced his readiness to personally meet with Dzhokhar Dudayev, subject to the disarmament of his formations.

On December 17, 1994, Yeltsin sent a telegram to D. Dudayev, in which the latter was ordered to appear in Mozdok to the plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation in Chechnya, the Minister for Nationalities and regional policy N.D. Egorov and the director of the FSB S.V. Stepashin and sign a document on the surrender of weapons and a ceasefire. The text of the telegram, in particular, literally read: "I suggest that you meet without delay with my authorized representatives Egorov and Stepashin in Mozdok." At the same time, the President of the Russian Federation issued Decree No. 2200 "On the Restoration of Federal Territorial Bodies of Executive Power on the Territory of the Chechen Republic."

Siege and assault on Grozny

Starting from December 18, rocket and bomb strikes were repeatedly carried out on Grozny. Bombs and rockets fell mainly on the quarters where residential buildings were located and obviously there were no military installations. As a result, there were great casualties among the civilian population. Despite the statement of the President of Russia on December 27 to stop the bombing of the city, aviation continued to strike at Grozny.

In the second half of December, Russian federal troops advanced on Grozny from the north and west, leaving the southwestern, southern, and southeastern directions practically unblocked. The remaining open corridors connecting Grozny and numerous villages in Chechnya with outside world, allowed the civilian population to leave the zone of shelling, bombing and fighting.

On the night of December 23, federal troops attempted to cut off Grozny from Argun and entrenched themselves in the area of the airport in Khankala, southeast of Grozny.

On December 26, the bombing of settlements in countryside: only in the next three days, about 40 villages were hit.

On December 26, the government was announced for the second time. national revival Chechnya, headed by S. Khadzhiev, and the readiness of the new government to discuss the issue of creating a confederation with Russia and enter into negotiations with it, without putting forward a demand for the withdrawal of troops.

On the same day, at a meeting of the Security Council of Russia, a decision was made to send troops to Grozny. Prior to this, there were no concrete plans for taking the capital of Chechnya.

On December 27, Boris N. Yeltsin made an address on television to the citizens of Russia, in which he explained the need for a forceful solution to the Chechen problem. BN Yeltsin stated that ND Egorov, AV Kvashnin and SV Stepashin were entrusted with negotiating with the Chechen side. On December 28, Sergei Stepashin specified that we are talking not about negotiations, but about presenting an ultimatum.

On December 31, 1994, the assault on Grozny began by parts of the Russian army. It was planned to deliver "powerful concentric strikes" by four groups and link up in the city center. For a variety of reasons, the troops immediately suffered heavy losses. The 131st (Maikop) separate motorized rifle brigade and the 81st (Samara) motorized rifle regiment advancing from the north-western direction under the command of General K.B. Pulikovsky were almost completely defeated. More than 100 soldiers were taken prisoner.

As deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation L.A. Ponomarev, G.P. Yakunin and V.L. Sheinis stated that “a large-scale military action was unleashed in Grozny and its environs. On December 31, after fierce bombing and shelling, about 250 units of armored vehicles. Dozens of them broke into the center of the city. The defenders of Grozny cut the armored columns into pieces and began to systematically destroy them. Their crews were killed, captured or scattered around the city. The troops that entered the city suffered a crushing defeat."

The head of the press service of the Russian government admitted that the Russian army suffered losses in manpower and equipment during the New Year offensive on Grozny.

On January 2, 1995, the press service of the Russian government reported that the center of the Chechen capital was "completely controlled by federal troops" and that the "presidential palace" was blocked.

The war in Chechnya continued until August 31, 1996. It was accompanied by terrorist acts outside Chechnya ( Budennovsk, Kizlyar ). The actual result of the campaign was the signing of the Khasavyurt agreements on August 31, 1996. The agreement was signed by the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Alexander Lebed and the chief of staff of the Chechen fighters Aslan Maskhadov . As a result of the Khasavyurt agreements, decisions were made on a "postponed status" (the question of the status of Chechnya had to be resolved by December 31, 2001). Chechnya has become de facto an independent state .

Notes

Chechnya: old turmoil // Izvestia, 11/27/1995.
How many died in Chechnya // Arguments and Facts, 1996.
The assault that never happened // Radio Liberty, 10/17/2014.
Decree of the President of the Russian Federation "On measures to restore constitutional legality and law and order on the territory of the Chechen Republic".
Chronicle of the armed conflict // HRC "Memorial".
Decree of the President of the Russian Federation "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".
Chronicle of the armed conflict // HRC "Memorial".
Chronicle of the armed conflict // HRC "Memorial".
1994: War in Chechnya // General newspaper, 12/18.04.2001.
Chronicle of the armed conflict // HRC "Memorial".
Grozny: New Year's Eve's bloody snow // Independent Military Review, 12/10/2004.
Chronicle of the armed conflict // HRC "Memorial".
The signing of the Khasavyurt agreements in 1996 // RIA Novosti, 08/31/2011.

The second Chechen war had and official name- counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, or CTO for short. But it is the common name that is more known and widespread. The war affected almost the entire territory of Chechnya and the adjacent regions of the North Caucasus. It began on September 30, 1999 with the entry of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The most active phase can be called the years of the second Chechen war from 1999 to 2000. This was the peak of the attacks. In subsequent years, the second Chechen war took on the character of local skirmishes between separatists and Russian soldiers. 2009 was marked by the official abolition of the CTO regime.
The second Chechen war brought a lot of destruction. The photographs taken by journalists testify to this in the best possible way.

background

The first and second Chechen wars have a small time gap. After the Khasavyurt agreement was signed in 1996, and Russian troops were withdrawn from the republic, the authorities expected calm to come. However, peace has not been established in Chechnya.
Criminal structures have significantly stepped up their activities. They did an impressive business on such criminal act like kidnapping for ransom. Their victims were both Russian journalists and official representatives, as well as members of foreign public, political and religious organizations. The bandits did not disdain the kidnapping of people who came to Chechnya for the funeral of loved ones. So, in 1997, two citizens of Ukraine were captured, who arrived in the republic in connection with the death of their mother. Businessmen and workers from Turkey were regularly captured. Terrorists profited from the theft of oil, drug trafficking, production and distribution of counterfeit money. They committed acts of violence and kept the civilian population in fear.

In March 1999, G. Shpigun, an authorized representative of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for Chechnya, was captured at the Grozny airport. This egregious case showed the complete inconsistency of the President of the CRI, Maskhadov. The federal center decided to strengthen control over the republic. On the North Caucasus elite operational units were sent, the purpose of which was the fight against bandit formations. From the side of the Stavropol Territory, a number of rocket launchers were put up, designed to deliver pinpoint ground strikes. An economic blockade was also introduced. The flow of cash injections from Russia has sharply decreased. In addition, it has become increasingly difficult for bandits to smuggle drugs abroad and take hostages. Gasoline produced in clandestine factories had nowhere to sell. In mid-1999, the border between Chechnya and Dagestan turned into a militarized zone.

Bandit formations did not abandon attempts to unofficially seize power. Groups under the leadership of Khattab and Basayev made forays into the territory of Stavropol and Dagestan. As a result, dozens of servicemen and police officers were killed.

On September 23, 1999, Russian President Boris Yeltsin officially signed a decree on the creation of the United Group of Forces. Its goal was to conduct a counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus. Thus began the second Chechen war.

The nature of the conflict

the Russian Federation acted very skillfully. with the help of tactics (luring the enemy into a minefield, sudden raids on small settlements), significant results were achieved. After the active phase of the war passed, the main goal of the command was to establish a truce and attract former leaders of gangs to their side. The militants, on the contrary, relied on giving the conflict an international character, calling for participation in it of representatives of radical Islam from all over the world.

By 2005, terrorist activity had dropped significantly. Between 2005 and 2008, no major attacks on civilians or clashes with official troops were recorded. However, in 2010 there were a number of tragic terrorist acts (explosions in the Moscow metro, at Domodedovo airport).

Second Chechen War: Beginning

On June 18, CRI carried out two attacks at once on the border in the direction of Dagestan, as well as on a company of Cossacks in Stavropol. After that, most of the checkpoints to Chechnya from Russia were closed.

On June 22, 1999, an attempt was made to blow up the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of our country. This fact was noted for the first time in the entire history of the existence of this ministry. The bomb was located and promptly defused.

On June 30, the Russian leadership gave permission to use military weapons against gangs on the border with the CRI.

Attack on the Republic of Dagestan

On August 1, 1999, the armed detachments of the Khasavyurt region, as well as the citizens of Chechnya supporting them, announced that they were introducing Sharia rule in their region.

On August 2, militants from the CRI provoked a violent clash between Wahhabis and riot police. As a result, several people died on both sides.

On August 3, a shootout took place between policemen and Wahhabis in the Tsumadinsky district of the river. Dagestan. There were no losses. Shamil Basayev, one of the leaders of the Chechen opposition, announced the creation of an Islamic shura that had its own troops. They established control over several districts in Dagestan. The local authorities of the republic are asking the center for the issuance of military weapons to protect the civilian population from terrorists.

The next day, the separatists were driven back from the regional center of Aghvali. More than 500 people dug in in positions that had been prepared in advance. They did not put forward any demands and did not enter into negotiations. it became known that they were holding three policemen.

At noon on August 4, on the road of the Botlikh region, a group of armed militants opened fire on a line of police officers who were trying to stop a car for an inspection. As a result, two terrorists were killed, and there were no casualties among the security forces. By locality Kekhni was hit by two powerful missile and bomb strikes by Russian attack aircraft. It was there, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, that a detachment of militants stopped.

On August 5, it becomes known that a major terrorist act is being prepared on the territory of Dagestan. 600 militants were going to penetrate the center of the republic through the village of Kekhni. They wanted to seize Makhachkala and sabotage the government. However, representatives of the center of Dagestan denied this information.

The period from August 9 to 25 was remembered by the battle for the Donkey Ear height. The militants fought with paratroopers from Stavropol and Novorossiysk.

Between September 7 and 14, large groups invaded from Chechnya under the leadership of Basayev and Khattab. The devastating battles continued for about a month.

Bombing of Chechnya from the air

On August 25, Russian armed forces attacked terrorist bases in the Vedeno Gorge. More than a hundred militants were destroyed from the air.

In the period from 6 to 18 September, Russian aviation continues a massive bombardment of separatist gathering places. Despite the protest of the Chechen authorities, the security forces say they will act as necessary in the fight against terrorists.

On September 23, Grozny and its environs are bombarded by central aviation forces. As a result, power plants, oil refineries, a mobile communication center, radio and television buildings were destroyed.

On September 27, VV Putin rejected the possibility of a meeting between the presidents of Russia and Chechnya.

Ground operation

Since September 6, martial law has been in effect in Chechnya. Maskhadov calls on his citizens to declare gazavat to Russia.

On October 8, in the village of Mekenskaya, a militant Ibragimov Akhmed shot 34 people of Russian nationality. Of these, three were children. At the gathering of the village of Ibragimov, they beat him to death with sticks. Mulla forbade his body to be buried in the earth.

The next day they occupied a third of the CRI territory and moved on to the second phase of hostilities. The main goal is the destruction of gangs.

On November 25, the President of Chechnya appealed to Russian soldiers to surrender and go into captivity.

In December 1999, Russian combat forces liberated almost all of Chechnya from militants. About 3,000 terrorists dispersed over the mountains, and also hid in Grozny.

Until February 6, 2000, the siege of the capital of Chechnya continued. After the capture of Grozny, massive battles came to naught.

Situation in 2009

Despite the fact that the counter-terrorist operation was officially terminated, the situation in Chechnya did not become calmer, but, on the contrary, became aggravated. Cases of explosions became more frequent, militants became more active again. In the autumn of 2009, a number of operations were carried out aimed at the destruction of gangs. The militants respond with major terrorist acts, including in Moscow. By mid-2010, the conflict was escalating.

Second Chechen War: results

Any hostilities cause damage to both property and people. Despite the compelling reasons for the second Chechen war, the pain of the death of loved ones cannot be eased or forgotten. According to statistics, 3684 people were lost on the Russian side. 2178 representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation were killed. The FSB lost 202 of its employees. More than 15,000 people were killed among the terrorists. The number of civilians who died during the war is not exactly established. According to official figures, it is about 1000 people.

Movies and books about the war

The fighting did not leave indifferent and artists, writers, directors. Dedicated to such an event as the second Chechen war, photographs. Exhibitions are held regularly, where you can see works that reflect the destruction left after the battles.

The second Chechen war still causes a lot of controversy. The film "Purgatory", based on real events, perfectly reflects the horror of that period. The most famous books were written by A. Karasev. These are "Chechen stories" and "Traitor".

In December 1991, a former general elected president of the Chechen-Ingush Republic Soviet army D. Dudayev announced the creation of the Republic of Ichkeria and its secession from Russia. Since the summer of 1994, fighting has returned in Chechnya between the "produdayev" militants and opposition forces. December 9 President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin signed the Decree "On Measures to Suppress the Activities of Illegal Armed Groups on the Territory of the Chechen Republic."

Photographer V. Podlegaev. Commander of the Joint Grouping of Federal Forces of the Russian Federation in Chechnya, Lieutenant General A.A. Romanov (center) and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Chechen Republic A. Maskhadov (left) during negotiations. Chechen Republic. June 16, 1995. RIA Novosti

Two days later, units of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia entered the territory of Chechnya, and on December 31, bloody battles began for Grozny. Using aviation and heavy weapons, the United Group of Forces (OGV) gradually expanded the controlled territories, squeezing the militants into the mountains. In June 1995, a detachment of militants took hundreds of people hostage in a hospital in the city of Budyonnovsk (Stavropol Territory). In order to save the lives of citizens, the Russian government agreed to start peace negotiations with representatives of Ichkeria.

However, negotiations broke down in October 1995, and hostilities continued. The conflict has become a difficult test for Russia and its power structures. In the eyes of the world community, Russia's authority has suffered serious damage. Anti-war sentiment intensified within the country. In August 1996, taking advantage of the lack of clear political instructions to the UGA command from Russian leadership, militants captured Grozny. Under these conditions, the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin decided to hold peace talks. On August 30, an agreement was signed in the city of Khasavyurt on the withdrawal of troops and the “freezing” of the status of Chechnya for five years.

Photographer V. Vyatkin. Paratroopers of a separate artillery battalion of the 247th Stavropol Regiment of the Russian Airborne Forces at the forefront. Chechen Republic. November 1, 1999. RIA Novosti

Incessant terrorist attacks, attacks, kidnappings have turned the south of Russia into a front zone. In August 1999, Chechen fighters invaded Dagestan and captured several villages in the border areas. As a result of the military operation of the North Caucasian Military District in August-September 1999, the bulk of the militants were eliminated.

Photographer I. Mikhalev. Russian soldier before the start of hostilities. Chechen Republic. May 12, 1996. RIA Novosti

In retaliation for the losses in September, the militants carried out a series of terrorist attacks with hundreds of casualties, blowing up residential buildings in Buynaksk, Moscow and Volgodonsk. In October 1999, a counter-terrorist operation began in Chechnya. During the winter-spring period of 1999/2000, the troops of the United Group of Troops (Forces) (OGV(s)) created by decree of the President of the Russian Federation drove Chechen extremists to the south, cutting off the mountainous regions of Chechnya from the flat part of the republic.

Photographer H. Bradner. The movement of militants towards the presidential palace under artillery fire. Grozny. Chechen Republic. January 1995. Photo courtesy of J. Butler (UK)

On February 7, 2000, Grozny was liberated. The Russian troops were faced with the task of eliminating numerous groups of militants in mountainous areas. The enemy introduced the tactics of guerrilla warfare, operating on the territories of both Chechnya and neighboring republics. As a result of the operation, illegal armed formations of Ichkeria were defeated. However, fighting with gangs continued for another eight long years.

Photographer Y. Pirogov. Russian servicemen who died in battle. The area of the airport "Severny", the Chechen Republic. January 10, 1995. RIA Novosti

The regime of the counter-terrorist operation in Chechnya was canceled only on April 16, 2009. According to the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces, during the entire period of hostilities in 1992-2009 without return losses of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and other law enforcement agencies in Chechnya, more than 8,500 people were killed and died, 510 people were captured and missing, and over 70,000 people were wounded.

Dzhokhar Dudayev congratulates his guards on Independence Day. Chechen Republic, Grozny. 1994

A column of armored vehicles enters Grozny. Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. (otherwise the Chechen Republic). RF. December 12, 1994.

Chechen women during an anti-Russian rally in front of the parliament building. Grozny. Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. (otherwise the Chechen Republic). RF. December 15, 1994.

Photographer Eric Bouvet. Russian soldiers say goodbye to their dead comrade. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. 1995

The separatist rests during the fighting. Grozny, Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. January 1995

Photographer Y. Tutov. Russian soldiers during a break between battles. Chechen Republic. January 12, 1995. RIA Novosti

Photographer N. Ignatiev. Engineering reconnaissance of the railway track on the bridge over the river. Terek. Chechen Republic. January 1995. Photo courtesy of J. Butler (UK)

Photographer Christopher Morris. Chechen fighters in the basement of a residential building. Grozny. Chechen Republic. RF. January 1995

A soldier of the federal forces in between battles. Grozny. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. January 1995

Russian soldiers during the assault on Grozny. Chechen Republic. RF. January-February 1995.

Crossing parts of the Russian army across the Sunzha River. Grozny. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. February 7, 1995

Photographer Y. Tutov. Presidential palace. Grozny. Chechen Republic. February 17, 1995. RIA Novosti

A combined detachment of fighters from the Tyumen OMON, SOBR, and the Urals RUBOP conducts a counter-terrorist operation in the combat zone. Grozny. Chechen Republic. RF. April 1995

Sergeant Misunov. 7th Guards Airborne Division. Neighborhood of Shatoy. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. 1995

Tankman Alexei Stepanov. 7th Guards Airborne Division. Under Shatoi. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. 1995

Photographer Oleg Klimov. Checkpoint of the Federal Forces. Grozny. Chechen Republic. May 1995

Photographer Eric Bouvet. Russian soldiers. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. May 1995

Life on the streets of the city. Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russian Federation. May 1995

Photographer I. Mikhalev. Soldiers of the Joint Group of Federal Forces of the Russian Federation on a halt. Chechen Republic. May 25, 1996. RIA Novosti

Photographer V. Podlegaev. Surrender of weapons by illegal armed groups. S. Zandag. Chechen Republic. August 16, 1995. RIA Novosti

Photographer I. Mikhalev. Russian soldiers before the start of hostilities. Chechen Republic. May 12, 1996. RIA Novosti

Photographer S. Gutsiev. View of Minutka Square in Grozny. Chechen Republic. May 15, 1996. RIA Novosti

The commander of the Chechen fighters, terrorist Shamil Basayev during the seizure of the hospital in Budyonnovsk. Budennovsky district. Stavropol Territory, RF. June 19, 1995.

Photographer Alexander Nemenov. Russian soldier. Chechen Republic. RF. 1996

Photographer D. Donskoy. Meeting of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin with soldiers and officers of the 205th motorized rifle brigade of the federal forces of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasus. Chechen Republic. May 28, 1996. RIA Novosti

Child on Mira street. Grozny. Chechen Republic. RF. August 1996

Photographer - Thomas Dworzak. Punishment for drunkenness according to Sharia law. Grozny. Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. (otherwise the Chechen Republic). RF. August 1996

Photographer I. Mikhalev. Member of illegal armed groups during the battle. Staropromyslovsky district of Grozny, Chechen Republic, August 14, 1996, RIA Novosti

Chairman of the CRI government Shamil Basayev presents a personalized pistol to Iosif Kobzon "For support of the CRI". Grozny. Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (otherwise the Chechen Republic). RF. Summer 1997.

Pupils of the Military College of the Armed Forces of the CRI. The unrecognized republic of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (otherwise the Chechen Republic). RF. 1999

Photographer: Vladimir Vyatkin. During the entry into the city of federal forces. Gudermes. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. January 1999

Photographer: Oleg Lastochkin. Residents of the village of Znamenskoye, Nadterechny district, located in the war zone, are leaving their homes. Chechen Republic. RF. October 1999

Photographer O. Lastochkin. Mi-24 combat helicopter loitering over the location of Russian troops. Chechen Republic, October 16, 1999. RIA Novosti

The crew of the BMP-2 on the road to Grozny. Samashki village. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. December 1999

Photographer Y. Kozyrev. Russian paratroopers repulse an attack by Chechen fighters, falling into an ambush near Tsentoroy. Chechen Republic. December 16, 1999. Photo courtesy of Y. Kozyrev

Photographer Y. Kozyrev. Removal of the wounded from the battle. District of Tsentoroi. Chechen Republic. December 16, 1999. Photo courtesy of Y. Kozyrev

Photographer Y. Kozyrev. Removal of the wounded from the battle. District of Tsentoroy, Chechen Republic. December 16, 1999. Photo courtesy of Y. Kozyrev

Photographer Y. Kozyrev. Paratroopers after the battle. District of Tsentoroy, Chechen Republic. December 16, 1999. Photo courtesy of Y. Kozyrev

Photographer A. Kondratiev. And about. President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin among the fighters of the federal forces of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasus. Chechen Republic. December 31, 1999, RIA Novosti

Photographer Yuri Kozyrev. Russian soldiers during a break between battles. Grozny. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. January 2000

Photographer Natalya Medvedeva. Consolidated detachment of the 2nd separate brigade of the GRU special purpose. Shatoi region. Chechen Republic. RF. February 2000

Soldiers of the 101st Special Operative Brigade of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The inscription on the BMP - "Let her be wrong - she is my Motherland!" Grozny. Chechen Republic. February 9, 2000

Scouts of the platoon of the Guard Lieutenant Kozhemyakin D.S. shortly before the battle at Height 776. Shatoisky district. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. February 29, 2000.

Photographer Sergey Maksimishin. A child plays with a cat at one of the checkpoints. Grozny. Chechen Republic. RF. year 2000.

The 45th Separate Special Purpose Guards Regiment patrols in the mountain gorge of the Bass River. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. March-April 2000.

Photographer V. Vyatkin. The death of Sergei Timoshin, a soldier of the 6th company of the 10th regiment of the Russian Airborne Forces. Chechen Republic. April 1, 2000. RIA Novosti

Photographer V. Vyatkin. Rest after a military operation. Chechen Republic. April 1, 2000. RIA Novosti

After the assault on the village of Komsomolskoye. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. year 2000.

Photographer V. Vyatkin. Special operation of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation to identify and destroy the base camps of Chechen gangs in the mountain gorge of the river. Bass, Chechen Republic. April 1, 2000. RIA Novosti

Photographer V. Vyatkin. The operation of the special reconnaissance detachment of the 45th regiment of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation to identify and destroy bandit formations in the mountain gorge of the river. Bass, Chechen Republic. April 1, 2000, RIA Novosti

Militias from among local residents at a parade in memory of the dead Dagestan soldiers and local residents during the invasion of Chechen fighters. Agvali village. Tsumadinsky district. The Republic of Dagestan. RF. October 2000

The raid of the special forces reconnaissance group of the airborne troops in the vicinity of the Baath River. Surroundings of the villages of Khatuni, Kirov-Yurt and Makhkety. Vedeno region. Chechen Republic. The Russian Federation. October 5, 2000

Some of the photos are taken from the book: Military Chronicle of Russia in Photographs. 1850s - 2000s: Album. - M.: Golden Bee, 2009.

The Chechen War is an armed confrontation between the Armed Forces of Russia and the unrecognized Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. These events are among the darkest in recent history Russia. Events unfolded in two campaigns, sometimes two Chechen wars are distinguished: the first - from 1994 to 1996, the second - from 1999 to 2009.

In autumn 1991, during coup d'état the parliament of the Chechen-Ingush Republic was removed from power. At the same time, the Chechen-Ingush Republic was divided into Chechen and Ingush. Elections were held in Chechnya, which were declared illegal by the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, as they were more of a performance than an actual election. Thus, the separatists led by Dzhokhar Dudayev broke through to power in Chechnya. On October 27, Dudayev was declared president; on November, the independence of Chechnya was proclaimed. Chechnya was named Ichkeria. In the spring of 1992, the republic's constitution was adopted. This state has not been recognized by any state in the world.

Chechnya was in an economic and political crisis: during 1991-1994, a criminal economy flourished (abductions and human trafficking, arms trafficking, drug trafficking), armed confrontation between Dudayev and the opposition took place, ethnic cleansing took place against the non-Chechen population, primarily against Russians. The Russian leadership tried to impose a state of emergency, but to no avail. Several rounds of negotiations also came to nothing. The Chechen leaders wanted the central authorities to recognize an independent Chechnya. Meanwhile, Chechen fighters were carrying out the seizure of weapons, military depots, and this took place with the consent of the Russian Minister of Defense Grachev.

On December 11, 1994, Russian troops entered the territory of Chechnya. started. The army came from three directions and was aimed at Grozny. IN new year's eve troops began to storm Grozny. February 22, 1995 the city was taken, the movement of Russian troops deep into Chechnya began. Dudayev's troops by the summer of 1995 were in a very difficult position. On June 14, a hostage-taking took place in Budenovsk (Stavropol Territory), which led to the start of negotiations between Russian authorities and separatists and the delay in hostilities by Russia. In April 1996, the leader of the Chechen militants, Dudayev, was eliminated. In August 1996, the separatists managed to capture Grozny. On August 31, 1996, the parties signed an agreement called the Khasavyurt Accords. Under the terms of the agreement, a truce was declared, the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya, the question of independence was postponed until 2001.

After the end of the first campaign, a regime was established in Chechnya, characterized by a criminal economy (drug trafficking, arms trafficking), officially permitted blood feud, genocide of people of non-Chechen nationality. The ideas of Islamic extremists were spreading in the republic, and outside the territory of Chechnya in Russia, Chechen fighters carry out terrorist attacks. In August 1999, separatist troops led by Basayev and Khattab invaded Dagestan. Russian troops repel the attack and enter Chechnya.
The second Chechen war begins with battles with Basayev and Khattab. On September 30, 1999, troops entered Chechnya. The end of this war is considered to be April 16, 2009, when the CTO regime was abolished in Chechnya. It is sometimes said that the Chechen war is still going on.

The war has brought huge damage the Russian people. This, first of all, is expressed in the human losses of Russian soldiers and officers, as well as civilians. Losses cannot be accurately calculated. Data vary from 10 to 26 thousand killed soldiers. In any case, the Russian-Chechen war became a personal tragedy for a huge number of people.