How did the war in Chechnya end?
The battle ended when the Russian army seized the city on 2 February 2000. According to official Russian figures, at least 134 federal troops and an unknown number of pro-Russian militiamen died in Grozny. The separatist forces also suffered heavy losses, including losing several top commanders.
Who won the Chechen war?
Imperial Russian forcesFollowing long local resistance during the 1817–1864 Caucasian War, Imperial Russian forces defeated the Chechens and annexed their lands and deported thousands to the Middle East in the latter part of the 19th century.
When did Chechnya war stop?
There was vast destruction of the Chechen capital in the Battle of Grozny. The Russian military established control over Grozny in early February 2000, officially ending the war, with insurgency and hostilities continuing for several years. The end of the conflict was proclaimed in 2017, ending a decades-long struggle.
How long was Russia at war with Chechnya?
Russia waged two wars against Chechnya from 1994 to 2000. In both wars, Russia heavily bombed Chechnya, flattening Grozny and causing tens of thousands of civilian deaths. Russia unleashes a heavy bombing campaign. Cities and towns are reduced to rubble.
Are the Chechens helping Ukraine?
A number of anti-Kadyrov Chechens have volunteered to fight alongside Ukrainian forces, such as with the Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion or the Sheikh Mansur Battalion who are fighting against Russian forces in Ukraine since 2014.
Why are Chechens feared?
Fear and negative stereotypes of Chechens stem largely from the history of the Russian conquest of Chechnya and Dagestan, when Russia conquered the Chechen territory in 1859 and merged it with the Russian Empire.
Does Chechnya have its own army?
On March 13, 1997, President Aslan Maskhadov, established the National Guard of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, which was to become the only regular armed formation, on the basis of the Armed Force s of the CRI.
Why did Russia invade Georgia?
Russia falsely accused Georgia of committing "genocide" and "aggression against South Ossetia". It launched a full-scale land, air and sea invasion of Georgia, including its undisputed territory, on 8 August, referring to it as a "peace enforcement" operation.
What does Chechen Don mean?
so, anyway, well, yeahдон • (don) (Chechnya, colloquial) so, anyway, well, yeah (used as a filler word or for emphasis)
How many civilians died in the Chechen wars?
At a press conference held in mid-January 1997, Aleksandr Cherkasov and other offi cials of the human rights organization Memorial stated their view that 'nearly 50,000 civilians were killed in the 21-month war in Chechnya, including 25,000 to 30,000 who died in the capital Groznyi …'.
What did Putin do in Grozny?
President Putin announced Grozny was liberated and said that military operations had come to an end. Many damaged or mined buildings were blown up, including all high-rise buildings around Minutka Square.
Why did Russia invade Syria?
The Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war began in September 2015, after an official request by the Syrian government for military aid against rebel and jihadist groups.
What ended the first Chechen war?
December 9, 1994 – August 31, 1996First Chechen War / Period
How many Chechens died in the war?
At a press conference held in mid-January 1997, Aleksandr Cherkasov and other offi cials of the human rights organization Memorial stated their view that 'nearly 50,000 civilians were killed in the 21-month war in Chechnya, including 25,000 to 30,000 who died in the capital Groznyi …'.
Does Chechnya have its own army?
On March 13, 1997, President Aslan Maskhadov, established the National Guard of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, which was to become the only regular armed formation, on the basis of the Armed Force s of the CRI.
What happened to Grozny?
In 1999, Vladimir Putin ordered the complete destruction of the Chechen capital of Grozny. The Russian military laid waste to Grozny, killing tens of thousands of civilians. In Putin's own words, his troops "fulfilled their task to the end."
What was the second Chechen war?
The Second Chechen war is also known as the Second Chechen Campaign ( Russian: Втора́я чече́нская кампа́ния) or the Second Russian invasion of Chechnya from the rebel Chechen point of view.
When did Chechnya become independent?
During the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Chechnya declared independence. In 1992, Chechen and Ingush leaders signed an agreement splitting the joint Chechen–Ingush republic in two, with Ingushetia joining the Russian Federation and Chechnya remaining independent. The debate over independence ultimately led to a small-scale civil war since 1992, in which the Russians covertly tried to oust the government of Dzhokhar Dudayev. The First Chechen War began in 1994, when Russian forces entered Chechnya to "restore constitutional order". Following nearly two years of brutal fighting, with a death toll exceeding one hundred thousand by some estimates, the 1996 Khasavyurt ceasefire agreement was signed and Russian troops were withdrawn from the republic.
What countries did the Chechens belong to?
Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Chechens established a short-lived Caucasian Imamate which included parts of Chechnya , Dagestan and Ingushetia; there was also the secular pan-Caucasian Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus. The Chechen states were opposed by both sides of the Russian Civil War and most of the resistance was crushed by Bolshevik troops by 1922. Then, months before the creation of the Soviet Union, the Chechen Autonomous Oblast of the Russian SFSR was established. It annexed a part of territory of the former Terek Cossack Host. Chechnya and neighboring Ingushetia formed the Chechen–Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1936. In 1941, during World War II, a Chechen revolt broke out, led by Khasan Israilov. In 1944 Chechens were deported to the Kazakh and Kirghiz SSRs in an act of ethnic cleansing, this was done under the false pretext of Chechen mass collaboration with Nazi Germany. An estimated 1/4 to1/3 of the Chechen population perished due the harsh conditions. Many scholars recognize the deportation as an act of genocide, as did the European Parliament in 2004. In 1992 the separatist government built a memorial dedicated to the victims of the acts of 1944, the Pro-Russian government would later demolish this memorial. Tombstones which were an integral part of the memorial were found planted on the Akhmad Kadyrov Place next to granite steles honoring the losses of the local pro-Russian power.
What war was Kizlyar?
Kizlyar. Part of the First Chechen War, War of Dagestan, Second Chechen War, Insurgency in the North Caucasus and Islamic terrorism in Europe. The Second Chechen War ( Russian: Втора́я чече́нская война́, Chechen: ШолгIа оьрсийн-нохчийн тIом, lit. 'Second Russian-Chechen War') was an armed conflict in Chechnya and the border regions ...
How many suicides were committed in Chechnya in 2004?
Between June 2000 and September 2004, Chechen insurgents added suicide attacks to their tactics. During this period, there were 23 Chechen-related suicide attacks in and outside Chechnya, notably the hostage taking at an elementary school in Beslan, in which at least 334 people died.
How many people died in the Dagestan bombings?
On 4 September 1999, 62 people died in an apartment building housing members of families of Russian soldiers. Over the next two weeks, the bombs targeted three other apartment buildings and a mall; in total over 350 people were killed. A criminal investigation of the bombings was completed in 2002. The results of the investigation, and the court ruling that followed, concluded that they were organized by Achemez Gochiyaev, who remains at large, and ordered by Khattab and Abu Omar al-Saif (both of whom were later killed), in retaliation for the Russian counteroffensive against their incursion into Dagestan. Six other suspects have been convicted by Russian courts. However, Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agents were caught by local police for planting one of the bombs, but were later released on orders from Moscow. Many observers, including State Duma deputies Yuri Shchekochikhin, Sergei Kovalev and Sergei Yushenkov, cast doubts on the official version and sought an independent investigation. Some others, including David Satter, Yury Felshtinsky, Vladimir Pribylovsky and Alexander Litvinenko, as well as the secessionist Chechen authorities, claimed that the 1999 bombings were a false flag attack coordinated by the FSB in order to win public support for a new full-scale war in Chechnya, which boosted the popularity of Prime Minister and former FSB Director Vladimir Putin, brought the pro-war Unity Party to the State Duma in the 1999 parliamentary election, and secured Putin as president within a few months.
Where is Chechnya located?
Chechnya is an area in the Northern Caucasus which has constantly fought against foreign rule, including the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century. The Russian Terek Cossack Host was established in lowland Chechnya in 1577 by free Cossacks who were resettled from the Volga to the Terek River. In 1783, Russia and the Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti signed the Treaty of Georgievsk, under which Kartl-Kakheti became a Russian protectorate. To secure communications with Georgia and other regions of the Transcaucasia, the Russian Empire began spreading its influence into the Caucasus region, starting the Caucasus War in 1817. Russian forces first moved into highland Chechnya in 1830, and the conflict in the area lasted until 1859, when a 250,000-strong army under General Baryatinsky broke down the highlanders' resistance. Frequent uprisings in the Caucasus also occurred during the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–78 .
When did the Chechen war start?
The war began on December 31, 1994, with a wholesale assault against the capital, Grozny.
When did Chechnya become a republic?
When the Soviet Union collapsed in December 1991, Chechnya was one of several republics with a majority non-ethnic Russian population that remained within the Russia Federation. Chechen leaders sought to take advantage of the political upheaval to assert the long-sought independence from Russia. Led by General Dzhokhar Dudayev, the Chechens unilaterally proclaimed the independence of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (ChRI) on November 1, 1991. Many non-Chechens fled the area and a turbulent period of de facto independence followed. On December 1, 1994, Russian President Boris Yeltsin ordered the Russian Army to “restore constitutional order” in the republic, and launched an invasion.
How many civilians died in the invasion of Grozny?
Nonetheless, sources estimate that a large percentage of civilian fatalities occurred during the invasion of Grozny between December 1994 and March 1995. From the beginning of the invasion to the middle of February, fatality estimates range from 25,000 [viii] to 30,000 [ix] civilian deaths. This range indicates that the majority of the civilian fatalities in the entire war occurred during a mere four-month window. Of the estimated 25,000 [x] killed in the invasion of Grozny, it is estimated that 18,000 [xi] were killed by mid January. According to General Dudayev, the first president of the Chechen Republic, 85 percent of civilians killed in the invasion (approximately 25,500) [xii] were ethnic Russians due to the fact that the Chechens were the first to evacuate the capital; this estimate is close to the figure put forward by Russian human rights campaigner Sergei Kovalyov, who estimated the number of ethnic Russian deaths at 24,000. [xiii]
How many civilian deaths in Chechnya?
Most scholars and human rights organizations generally estimate the number of civilian casualties to be 40,000 [iii]; this figure is attributed to the research and scholarship of Chechnya expert John Dunlop, who estimates that the total number of civilian casualties is at least 35,000.
Who was the main cause of the civilian deaths in Grozny?
Some accounts speculate that the majority of civilian deaths inside Grozny were Russians, as the vast numbers of ethnic Chechens fled to surrounding villages. Chechen fighters retreated to outlying villages and towns, most of which were by Spring 1995 captured by Russian soldiers.
Who was the Chechen soldier who captured a hospital in Budyonnovsk?
Particularly notable was violence in the town of Samashki, where over a hundred civilians were killed in April. In June 1995, Chechen soldier, Shamil Bayasev, captured a hospital outside Chechnya in Budyonnovsk, taking hostages and demanding an end to the war and direct negotiations between Russian and Chechen leaders.
Who was the leader of the Chechen Republic?
Chechen leaders sought to take advantage of the political upheaval to assert the long-sought independence from Russia. Led by General Dzhokhar Dudayev, the Chechens unilaterally proclaimed the independence of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (ChRI) on November 1, 1991. Many non-Chechens fled the area and a turbulent period ...
Why did the Chechens move to Central Asia?
During World War 2, the Communist Soviet government deported the whole Chechen population to Central Asia out of fear they were going to aid the invading Germans.
Where did the Russian war break out?
Fighting broke out in August, 1999 in the Russian area of Dagestan as guerrilla forces infiltrated from neighboring Chechnya. Following months of clashes and tension in the border area of the semi-independent state of Chechnya and the Russian Republic of Dagestan, rebels seized control of several villages and battled Russian troops. Approximately 2,000 self-proclaimed Islamic rebels battled the growing numbers of Russian troops. The Russian government reinforced the 17,000 soldiers already in the region and carried out airstrikes against the rebels. Within the first six days of the war's outbreak, Russian warplanes flew at least 200 sorties.
How did the Dagestan campaign affect Russia?
During the Dagestan Campaign, Russia suffered from several terrorist attacks in which powerful explosions destroyed apartment buildings in cities throughout the nation. At least 300 people died due to the explosions in September of 1999. Russia's government, then headed by President Boris Yeltsin, claimed that the Islamic rebels (meaning the Chechens) were responsible for the terrorism. Using this as an excuse to continue the Dagestan Campaign into Chechnya proved quite popular with Russian voters. After Yeltsin's retirement, Acting President Vladimir Putin won the March 2000 election largely on the strength of his continuing war against the Chechens and Islamic "terrorists."
Why did the Tsarnaev brothers bomb the Boston Marathon?
The April, 2013 Boston Marathon bombings carried out by two Chechen brothers that caused over 170 casualties brought the realities of the Chechen conflict to the United States. While at this writing (4.20.13), the exact motivation for why the Tsarnaev brothers planted the bombs is as yet unclear, what is clear is that in some small way, the Chechen conflict has assumed international dimensions. One of the known facts about the Tsarnaevs is that they entered the U.S. with their family as refugees from the Chechen War.
What was the purpose of the Russians' push toward Grozny?
After driving the rebels from Dagestan, Russian forces pursued the rebels into Chechnya with the intent of ending the separatist republic's existence. To this end, a ruthless military push toward the Chechen capital of Grozny began. Learning from their failed 1994-1996 war against the Chechens, the Russians made extensive and heavy use of long-distance weaponry. Chechen cities and villages were leveled by intense Russian air attacks and artillery bombardment designed to maximize rebel losses while minimizing Russian casualties.
What is the claim that Putin's government has made about the Chechens?
One of the allegations that Putin's government claims is that the Chechens hold ties to al-Qaida, the Islamic terror network founded by Osama bin Laden. Evidence exists to support this claim, which aids Moscow in its assertion that they, too are part of the world-wide War on Terror proclaimed by American President George W. Bush.
What did the Russians do in the 1994-1996 war?
Learning from their failed 1994-1996 war against the Chechens, the Russians made extensive and heavy use of long-distance weaponry. Chechen cities and villages were leveled by intense Russian air attacks and artillery bombardment designed to maximize rebel losses while minimizing Russian casualties.
How long did the Russian invasion of Chechnya last?
1994 Russian troops invade Chechnya to crush the independence movement. The war, which kills up to 100,000 people, starts in December and lasts 20 months.
What happened in 2001 in Chechnya?
2001 There are reports of widespread human rights violations in Che chnya at the hands of Russian troops, fuelled by the discovery of a mass grave filled with mutilated bodies.
Who was the Chechen leader in 1996?
1996 The Chechen president, Dzhokhar Dudayev, is killed in a Russian missile attack and Zemlikhan Yandarbiyev succeeds him. Rebels launch a successful attack on Grozny. The rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov signs a ceasefire with Moscow and Russian troops begin to withdraw.
When did Russia recognize Maskhadov's government?
1997 Russia recognises Maskhadov's government and the two leaders sign a peace treaty, although the problem of Chechnya independence is still unresolved.
How many people died in the Chechnya war?
1994 December - Russian troops enter Chechnya to quash the independence movement. Up to 100,000 people - many of them civilians - are estimated killed in the 20-month war that follows.
Who was the Chechen warlord in 2005?
2005 October - Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev says he commanded a major assault in Nalchik, capital of the North Caucasus Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, that leaves dozens dead.
What happened in 1991?
1991 - Collapse of the Soviet Union. Communist leader Doku Zavgayev overthrown; Dzhokhar Dudayev wins a presidential poll and proclaims Chechnya independent of Russia. 1992 - Chechnya adopts a constitution defining it as an independent, secular state governed by a president and parliament.
What happened to Maskhadov in 2005?
2005 March - Maskhadov dies in clash with Russian forces.
When did Chechnya become a state?
Chechnya profile - Timeline. 1858 - After decades of violent resistance, Chechnya is conquered by Russia following the defeat of Imam Shamil and his fighters, who had aimed to establish an Islamic state. 1922 - Chechen autonomous region established; becomes the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1934.
What happened in the Caucasus in 1944?
1944 - Soviet dictator Stalin deports the entire Chechen and Ingush populations to Siberia and Central Asia, citing alleged collaboration with Nazi Germany. Many thousands die in the process. 1957 - Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev allows Chechens back to the Caucasus, restores the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
How many people were held hostage in the Moscow theatre?
2002 October - Chechen rebels seize a Moscow theatre and hold about 800 people hostage. Most of the rebels and some 120 hostages are killed when Russian forces pump in narcotic gas and storm the building.
What was Russia's response to the Second Chechen War?
International response to the Second Chechen War. Russia incurred much international criticism for its conduct during the Second Chechen War, which started in 1999. The governments of the United States and other countries condemned deaths and expulsions among civilians. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNHCR) passed two resolutions in ...
When did the European Court of Human Rights decide the first cases concerning forced disappearances in Chechnya?
In summer 2006 the European Court on Human Rights decided the first cases concerning forced disappearances in Chechnya; it was accepted the decisions by the European Court might play an important role in changing Chechnya's terrible human rights situation, as more than 100 disappearance cases related to Chechnya are pending in the court. The cases included one where the court ordered Russia to pay 35,000 euros to the mother of Khadzhi-Murat Yandiyev for violating her son's "right to life" as well as failing "to conduct an effective investigation" into his February 2000 disappearance. Key evidence in the case, according to court documents, was video footage filmed by a reporter for NTV and CNN television showing Colonel-General Alexander Baranov, ordering soldiers to "finish off" and "shoot" Yandiyev; Baranov has since been promoted and awarded a Hero of Russia medal and made responsible for all Defense Ministry forces in the North Caucasus.
What was the response to the Human Rights Commission Resolution on Chechnya in 2000?
The United States statement in response to Human Rights Commission Resolution on Chechnya in 2000 noted: As Secretary Albright noted in her March 24th speech to the Commission, "We cannot ignore the fact that thousands of Chechen civilians have died and more than 200,000 have been driven from their homes.".
What was the first trial of the Russian government?
The first trial concluded in February 2005. The Court ruled that the Russian government violated several articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, including a clause on the protection of property, a guarantee of the right to life, and a ban on torture and inhumane or degrading treatment, and ordered the Russian government to pay compensation to the six plaintiffs of the case. The cases concerned the Russian federal forces' indiscriminate aerial bombing of a civilian convoy of refugees fleeing Grozny in October 1999; the "disappearance" and subsequent extrajudicial execution of five individuals in Grozny in January 2000; and the indiscriminate aerial and artillery bombardment of the village of Katyr-Yurt in February 2000. The compensations were not paid, NGOs claim that applicants to the court are met with repressions, including murders and disappearance. In the most dramatic period of 2000-2002 five plaintiffs died.
What is the most immediate and momentous challenge that Russia faces?
Russia's work to repair that damage, both at home and abroad, or its choice to risk further isolating itself, is the most immediate and momentous challenge that Russia faces.
What did the EU urge Russia to do?
The EU also urged Russia to end what they called disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force in Chechnya. The United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Robin Cook has "wholeheartedly condemned" the Russian ultimatum to the people of Grozny to flee or die.
When was the Estamirov family executed?
On October 12, 2006, the Court held Russian state responsible for the summary execution of the Estamirov family during the February 5, 2000 Novye Aldi massacre by the OMON forces.
Where did Russia end its counter terrorism?
MOSCOW Russia officially ended what it called its counterterrorism operation in the southern region of Chechnya on Thursday with an announcement that carried symbolic weight as the end of a decade of Muslim separatist battles for independence.
Which region of Russia has been the most troubled since the collapse of the Soviet Union?
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Chechnya has been perhaps the most troubled region in Russia, the site of two wars that caused thousands of deaths.
What did Kadyrov say about the end of the counterterrorist operation?
On Thursday, Mr. Kadyrov said the end of the counterterrorist operation signified victory over terrorism in Chechnya and a return to normalcy.
Who was the leader of Russia in 2000?
The military assault was coordinated by Vladimir V. Putin, then and now Russia’s prime minister. The strong-armed response bolstered Mr. Putin’s image, helping him win election as the country’s president in 2000.
Overview
The Second Chechen War (Russian: Втора́я чече́нская война́, Chechen: ШолгIа оьрсийн-нохчийн тӀом, lit. 'Second Russian-Chechen War' ) took place in Chechnya and the border regions of the North Caucasus between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, from August 1999 to April 2009. In August 1999, Islamist fighters from Chechnya infiltrated Russia's Dagestan region, declaring it an independent state and calling for holy war. During the initial cam…
Names
The Second Chechen War is also known as the Second Chechen Campaign (Russian: Втора́я чече́нская кампа́ния) or the Second Russian Invasion of Chechnya from the rebel Chechen point of view.
Historical basis of the conflict
Chechnya is an area in the Northern Caucasus which has constantly fought against foreign rule, including the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century. The Russian Terek Cossack Host was established in lowland Chechnya in 1577 by free Cossacks who were resettled from the Volga to the Terek River. In 1783, the Russian Empire and the Georgian Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti signed the Treaty of …
Prelude to the Second Chechen War
Following the first war, the government's grip on Chechnya was weak, especially outside the ruined capital Grozny. The areas controlled by separatist groups grew larger and the country became increasingly lawless. The war ravages and lack of economic opportunities left large numbers of heavily armed and brutalized former separatist fighters unemployed. The authority of the govern…
1999–2000 Russian offensive
In late August and early September 1999, Russia mounted a massive aerial campaign over Chechnya, with the stated aim of wiping out militants who invaded Dagestan earlier in the same month. On 26 August 1999, Russia acknowledged bombing raids in Chechnya. The Russian air strikes were reported to have forced at least 100,000 Chechens to flee their homes to safet…
Insurgency
Guerrilla phase by year: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Although large-scale fighting within Chechnya had ceased, daily attacks continued, particularly in the southern portions of Chechnya and spilling into nearby territories of the Caucasus, especially after the Caucasus Front was established. Typically small separatist units targeted Russian and pro-Russian officials, security forces, and military and police convoys and vehicles. The separati…
Human rights and terrorism
Russian officials and Chechen separatists have regularly and repeatedly accused the opposing side of committing various war crimes including kidnapping, murder, hostage taking, looting, rape, and assorted other breaches of the laws of war. International and humanitarian organizations, including the Council of Europe and Amnesty International, have criticized both sides of the conflict for "blatant and sustained" violations of international humanitarian law.
Other issues
Russian officials have accused the bordering republic of Georgia of allowing Chechen separatists to operate on Georgian territory and permitting the flow of militants and materiel across the Georgian border with Russia. In February 2002, the United States began offering assistance to Georgia in combating "criminal elements" as well as alleged Arab mujahideen activity in Pankisi Gorge as part of the War on Terrorism. Without resistance, Georgian troops have detained an Ara…
Overview
- The Chechen–Russian conflict was the centuries-long conflict, often armed, between the Russian government and various Chechen forces. The recent phase of the conflict started after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 and lasted until 2017. Formal hostilities in Chechen date back to 1785, though elements of the conflict can be traced back...
Origins
- The North Caucasus, a mountainous region that includes Chechnya, spans or lies close to important trade and communication routes between Russia and the Middle East, control of which have been fought over by various powers for millennia. Russia's entry into the region followed Tsar Ivan the Terrible's conquest of the Golden Horde's Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan in 155…
Chechen conflict with the Russian Empire
- Sheikh Mansur uprising and aftermath, 1785–1794
Around this time, Sheikh Mansur, a Chechen imam, began preaching a purified version of Islam and encouraging the various mountain peoples of the North Caucasus to unite under the banner of Islam in order to protect themselves from further foreign encroachments. His activities wer - Caucasian and Crimean Wars, 1817–64
After Russia's defeat of French Napoleonic forces in the 1812 war, Tsar Alexander I turned his attentions once more to the North Caucasus, assigning one of his most celebrated generals, Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov, to the conquest of the region. In 1817, Russian forces under Yermo
Russian Civil War and Soviet period
- After the Russian Revolution, the peoples of the North Caucasus came to establish the Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus. It existed until 1921, when they were forced to accept Soviet rule. Joseph Stalin personally held negotiations with the Caucasian leaders in 1921 and promised a wide autonomy inside the Soviet state. The Mountain Autonomous Soviet Social…
Post-Soviet era
- Chechen Wars
In 1991, Chechnya declared independence as the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. According to some sources, from 1991 to 1994, tens of thousands of people of non-Chechen ethnicity left the republic amidst reports of violence and discrimination against the non-Chechen population. Othe - Chechen insurgency
Since the end of the Second Chechen War in May 2000, low-level insurgency has continued, particularly in Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan. Russian security forces have succeeded in eliminating some of their leaders, such as Shamil Basayev, who was killed on July 10, 2006. After
Outside Russia
- The conflict between Chechens and Russians is also seen outside the Russian border. During the Syrian Civil War, Chechen fighters that remain loyal to the collapsed Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and radical Chechen Islamists had also fought against Russian Army and its ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria, with desire to overthrow the Assad Government and replace it by a more Chechen-symp…