Under the Khasavyurt Peace Accords, Russia withdraws from Chechnya and agrees to discuss its independence after five years. Rebel military commander Aslan Maskhadov, a moderate nationalist, wins presidential elections. Shamil Basayev launch two invasions of neighboring Dagestan. Apartment bombings in Moscow and two other Russian cities kill some 300 people. The Kremlin blames Chechen extremists.
Russian forces invade Chechnya for the second time.
A full-scale assault on Grozny begins.