Chechnya profile - BBC News BBC News Read more about sharing. Close share panel The southern Russian republic of Chechnya has long been a boiling point for conflict with Moscow in the restive North Caucasus. After a decade of unsuccessfully fighting for independence, the autonomous region is now firmly under the control of its Russian-appointed leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, although separatist groups continue low-level guerrilla attacks. In addition, jihadist groups, including those aligned with Islamic State terrorist organization, exist in the region. Oil-rich Chechnya has enjoyed a period of relative stability under Mr Kadyrov. But critics have accused the pro-Moscow leader and his government of suppressing media and other freedoms, as well as human rights violations including kidnappings and torture. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The capital Grozny was flattened in 1994 by the Russian army in its conflict with Chechnya's separatist movement Status Republic within Russian Federation Population Approximately 1 million Some key dates in Chechnya's history: 1858 - After decades of violent resistance, Chechnya is conquered by Russia.

1994 - Three years after republic declares independence, Russian troops invade to quash independence movement, the start of nearly a decade of conflict. 2003 - A referendum approves a new constitution stipulating that Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation. 2009 - Russia officially ends military operation; concerns over human rights and lawlessness persist. 2015 - Jihadists, including those aligned with Islamic State and al-Qaeda, remain active in the region. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Chechen volunteers gather in the capital in 1994 in the hope of protecting it from the Russian army Chechnya travel guide - Wikitravel Understand[ edit ] Nominally part of Russia since the early 19th century, fiercely independent Chechnya has been in a near constant state of rebellion ever since the approach of Russian power. At times throughout the history of this conflict, including very recent times, Chechen rebellion has spread to neighboring regions and threatened the specter of a multi ethnic Muslim rebellion across the entire northern Caucasus. What is most important for the traveler is that the anti-Russian violence as well as the Russian military response have been spectacularly brutal, purposely victimizing whomever is most vulnerable.

One of the most traumatic episodes of violence took place following the Second World War, when Stalin accused Chechens of collaborating with the Nazis and mass deported the entire ethnic Chechen populace to the cold steppe of northern Kazakhstan . Needless to say, provisions were not made to ensure that the deported Chechens had a good chance of surviving the deportation. Survivors were allowed to return under Khruschev. In one of the most horrific events of recent times, the radical Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev ordered his commandos to take an elementary school in Beslan, North Ossetia hostage, resulting in a shocking massacre of innocent schoolchildren. On a lighter note, Chechnya is a country of extraordinary beauty, full of majestic mountains with lush vegetation and auls (mountaintop villages) rising above the tree lines; rapid rivers have cut spectacular gorges throughout the region. Chechen culture is distinctly romantic and chivalric. It is at once steeped in Islamic Sufi mysticism and in the macho codes of hardy mountain tribes. The Chechens have a distinct culture of Caucasian music and dance.

The Chechens traditionally follow a strict code of honor and hospitality to accepted guests; unyielding hostility and violence towards enemies. All this could make Chechnya an intoxicating destination for the truly adventurous, but the present security situation should rule out this destination to all but the hardiest of travellers. The present situation is taking an improvement, however on a light scale. The region is headed by the autocratic Kadyrov family. More recently, the government has allowed foreign companies to develop, if neglected rich oil resources, which have brought wealth to the country. Yet, the money falls in the hands of a few people. While Grozny is full of new construction and a rising middle-class, much of the region remains poor. Corruption is considerably ubiquitous compared to some of it's neighbors. By plane[ edit ] Chechnya's airport is finally open again for the first time since the start of the First Chechen War. Planes to Grozny leave 3 times a week from Moscow 's Vnukovo airport. Estimated flying time is 2 hours and 30 minutes. By train[ edit ] A train leaves from/to Moscow once every 2 days.

This train is under heavy security by the Russian military so expect long delays and possibly other hassles. Caution must be exercised when traveling by rail in Chechnya due to potential terrorist attacks. In 2005 a train traveling from Moscow to Chechnya was derailed during a bombing. Stay safe[ edit ] Many foreign governments, including the UK, Canadian and US governments, strongly warn their citizens not to travel to Chechnya under any circumstances. However, the security situation has improved significantly and most of the separatist activity has been quelled by Kadyrov's government. If you stay on the major highways and visit cities along the way, you should be safe. If you decide to go into some rural areas, make sure you are accompanied, preferably by a local who knows the area really well. Before travelling to Chechnya, register with your embassy and make sure they are aware of your travel plans. Stay healthy[ edit ] The civil war may be over in Chechnya, but the situation is far from secure and basic necessities are often relatively scarce. It would be wise for one to assume that some necessities may not be available there, so get everything you really need before traveling to the region.

Working plumbing, heat, and electricity are commodities in parts of Chechnya due to a failing infrastructure that is the result of years of conflict. Be sure to sanitize all water or bring bottled water. Respect[ edit ] Hospitality and respect for guests is a source of pride for the average Chechen. Remember that Chechnya is a strongly patriarchal Sunni Muslim society, so try to behave accordingly. Women travellers are advised to exercise particular caution - dress appropriately (no exposed body parts except your hands and head) and - for lone female travelers - consider reliable protection services. Mobile[ edit ] In Chechnya there are two russian federal GSM operators (Beeline,Megafon) and they often have offers that give you a SIM card for free or at least very cheap. If you are planning to stay a while and to keep in touch with locals, you should consider buying a local SIM card instead of going on roaming. If you buy a SIM card from a shop you'll need your passport for identification. Chechnya Conflict and Environmental Implications I. CASE BACKGROUND 1. Abstract Besides the great loss of life and property, what has the conflict in Chechnya done to the natural environment?

Some environmental implications of nearly one decade of fighting are obvious and others are just becoming apparent. Bombing of oil wells has led to massive amounts of air and water pollution. In some cases, destruction of their traditional way of life has forced Chechens to find other means of survival at the expense of nature. 2. Description Russia's civil war in the breakaway province of Chechnya has had a profound impact on the environment. As a result of Russia's "scorched earth" methods employed in the region, the land is scarred by shelling and contaminated with land mines. Other concerns include groundwater pollution from oil leakage and dangerous amounts of radiation from abandoned waste. Though all-out war has stopped, the region still is by no means peaceful. It will take some time before the land and natural resources of Chechnya, not to mention the people, can recover. Chechen (Noxche) people are an indigenous group of herdsmen and farmers who have lived in the mountains of the North Caucasus for thousands of years. They share ethnic ties with the Ingush and other Caucasus peoples. Islam is the dominant religion in this area and a key influence in culture and identity.

Chechens speak a distinct language that is neither Slavic, Turkic nor Persian. Languages similar to Chechen include Bats and Ingush tongues. Most Chechens also speak Russian. Grozny is the capital of Chechnya. The relationship between Chechens and Russians goes back at least to 1559, when Russia established a fortress at the mouth of the Sunja river, near the Caspian Sea. Relations between the Chechens and the Cossack Russian groups that settled there were mostly peaceful until 1722, when Russian troops engaged with Chechen tribes for the first time. This was during Peter the Great's reign, when the ruler declared himself heir and crown prince of the Georgian Kingdom and Russia's imperialistic era in the region began. The Soviet era Shortly after the 1917 Bolshevik revolution, an independent state known as the Confederation of North Caucasian Peoples was formed. By 1921, however, the government was forced into exile by advancing Russian troops. Armed resistance by the Chechens was reported all the way up to the early 1950s.

In 1944, almost the entire Chechen population was deported to Kazakhstan on charges of Nazi collaboration. The latter half of the Soviet era was marked by mostly peaceful coexistence between the Chechens and their Russian neighbors, despite an almost constantly changing official status of the region. Sometimes Chechnya existed. Other times it did not. War After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia and the former Soviet republics found themselves stumbling into a new era of uncertainty. In Chechnya, the largely Muslim population embraced the end of the Soviet regime with nationalistic fervor. Chechnya proclaimed its independence from Russia in 1991, under the leadership of Dzhokar Dudayev. Dudayev had been instrumental in overthrowing the communist party in Chechnya, who had supported the 1991 coup. Russia, having already lost territory to the south, in Georgia and Azerbaijan, was not keen to lose more, especially the oil rich land of Chechnya. Troops moved into the region in 1994. They managed to capture virtually all urban areas, but could not gain a foothold in the mountainous region, where guerilla rebels were ensconced.

In 1996, the rebels retook Grozny, and under the Khasavyurt peace accord, Russia agreed to a cease fire and to undergo talks about Chechen independence in five years. In 1999, Chechen rebel groups make two incursions into neighboring Dagestan. Also at that time, Russia pins the blame on Chechen rebels for a series of deadly apartment bombings in Moscow and two other cities. Russia renewed its assault on Chechnya. A full-scale assault on Grozny begins Dec. 25, 1999. The second war continues today, with neither side showing signs of relenting. A scene from Grozny during the second war. (From the Foreign Military Studies Office at Fort Leavenworth, KS Website: 3. Duration This conflict has occurred in two stages. The first was from 1994 to 1996. The second began in 1999 and continues today. These shots show the city of Grozny before (left) and after heavy bombing and shelling by Russian forces. (Source: Webshots.com free photo archives 4.

Location State: Russia Image from the University of Texas library Website: Chechnya is located in the eastern part of the north Caucasus mountains, between the Caspian and Black seas. It is roughly 17,000 square kilometers in size and has a population of about 1.2 million. It lies directly north of Georgia and Azerbaijan. 5. Actors II. Environment Aspects The environmental catastrophe in Chechnya has been a temporary economic boon to some, like 41-year-old Movsar Mozayev. He is one of many citizens of the Chechen capital of Grozny to take advantage of a vast underground pool of spilled oil near the city, the Los Angeles Times reported in December. These entrepreneurs are "refining" crude oil with makeshift equipment then selling it on the black market to help put food on their families' tables. In Mozayev's backyard, a steel boiler pokes out of the earth feeding a small pipe, which drips gasoline into a container on the other end. Though profitable, the work is backbreaking and highly dangerous.

Mozayev complains of feeling sick, and there is the ever-looming chance that Russian army officers will demand a bribe, shut down the operation, or worse. The process itself is also risky. Mozayev must keep a small fire burning constantly to prevent the condensed gas from exploding. The subterranean oil spill in Grozny accounts for about half of the four million tons of oil dumped in Chechnya altogether. At the end of the Soviet era, thieves helped themselves to the oil flowing through Chechnya's pipelines and stole huge quantities of reserve oil from Grozny refineries. They then built "mini-refineries" which, like Mozayev's, were far from meeting professional standards. At a professional refinery, about 90 percent of the oil ends up as a finished product, like petroleum or natural gas. The rest is wasted, as that is simply the nature of the process. In the amateur refineries, the amount that goes to waste or (more accurately), is spilled on the ground, is closer to 50 percent.

About 15,000 of these "mini-refineries" were the cause of the spread of oil contamination from Grozny to the countryside.3 Many of the refineries later were blown up, either by the Russian army or by retreating Chechen fighters. Not only did the rate of oil leakage increase at this point, but plumes of thick, black smoke poured into the air. Nothing much was done about either. Boris Alekseyev, a Russian military officer and chairman of the Russian Federation's armed forces environmental security department, said in a January, 2000 press conference that women in the region who would hang white linens out to dry would come back to find them blackened by soot when the refineries were working. Alekseyev puts the blame for this ecological nightmare firmly on the Chechens because they established the network of illegal refineries. He described appalling conditions surrounding these makeshift facilities, saying there simply are no living things. "Not even grass." The rivers in Chechnya are devoid of fish in some places. Further effects of oil pollution The impact of oil pollution on Chechnya's water supply has been tremendous.

About 20,000 tons of oil leaked into the two rivers that flow from Grozny, the Terek and Sunzha. Eighty percent of the fish in some areas are too poisonous to eat. Rivers are contaminated between 100 and 1,000 times the normal levels and there are concerns the pollution could spread into the Caspian Sea. Alekseyev said there will be a catastrophe in the Caspian unless funds are allocated and work gets underway soon. Agriculture also has been seriously harmed, with one-third of arable land soaked in oil waste. This is one reason some people, like Movsar Mozayev, have been forced to find other means of survival. Military action and environmental damage Environmentalist Aleksei Yablokov, a former aide to Boris Yeltsin, believes Russian bombing has rendered Chechnya an "environmental wasteland." Damage by shelling and missile attacks could upset the ecological balance, destroying plant and other wildlife. Quality of drinking water is another major concern in Chechnya, as a result of missile attacks on power stations. With no power, the motors that run wells are useless.

The number of cases of typhoid has gone up in some parts of the region because people are drinking stagnant pond water. Reports from one village say Russian troops shelled a water pipeline just past their positions, enabling themselves to have fresh water but denying the villagers. The Russians say the Chechens steal pump parts and therefore have no one to blame but themselves. While they admit military action has exacerbated the problem, Russian military officials say Chechnya's environment was already damaged by the 15,000 illegal oil refineries operating in the region. The military claims it did consider environmental implications when planning military strikes. Radioactive waste The war was, in some cases, an effective smokescreen for environmental abuse. Dumping of radioactive waste has become evident in Chechnya and other former Soviet republics. Four policemen in Grozny were hospitalized in 2000 after exposure to high levels of radiation from a canister found by children on a roadside. Around Grozny, as many as 67 different sources of radiation have been bombed, including a radioactive waste dump site founded in 1965.

This burial site, named "Radon," contains 906 cubic meters of substances such as Plutonium, Beryllium, Radium- 226, Caesium-137, Thorium, Thulium-170, Iridium-192, Americium-241 and Iodine-131. The heavy shelling and bombing of the site could lead to future contamination. "Radon" is located near the Terek River, which runs into the Caspian Sea. Wind transportation of radioactive dust across the region is another threat. Soldiers assigned to guard the site have abandoned their duties out of fear for their lives. This has led to reports of theft of radioactive material from the site. A black market for the material exists because of its use in the manufacture of "dirty bombs." 6. Type of Environmental Problem Source: Natural oil deposits in the north Caucasus region Sink: Spill over from makeshift crude oil refineries contaminates soil and groundwater as well as rivers and lakes. 7. Type of Habitat: Temperate 8. Act and Harm Sites Act Site Air and water pollution in neighboring republics 9.

Type of Conflict: CIVIL WAR 10. Level of Conflict: HIGH 11. Fatality Level of Dispute: 6 From 1994-1996 it is estimated up to 80,000 died (mostly Chechen civilians). For the second war, beginning in 1999, the number of fatalities has not been determined. IV. Environment and Conflict Overlap 12. Environment-Conflict Link and Dynamics: Direct and Indirect Direct links include damage to the environment caused by bombs and landmines. Oil pollution became a problem only after the war had already begun. The war created an atmosphere in which the control of oil and other resources was up for grabs. Oil wells also were a valuable military target not only for reducing enemy revenue, but for the disruptive explosions.

Fighting caused by ethnic, nationalist tensions | | List of cities in Chechnya | Article about List of cities in Chechnya by The Free Dictionary List of cities in Chechnya | Article about List of cities in Chechnya by The Free Dictionary Related to List of cities in Chechnya: Chechen Republic , Grosny , Chechnyan Chechnya (chĕchnyä`, chĕch`nēə) or Chechen Republic (chəchĕn`), republic (1990 est. pop. 1,300,000, with neighboring Ingushetia), c.6,100 sq mi (15,800 sq km), SE European Russia, in the N Caucasus. Grozny Grozny or Groznyy , city (2006 est. pop. 230,000), capital of Chechnya, SE European Russia, in the northern foothills of the Greater Caucasus. It is the center of Chechnya's oil fields, linked by pipelines to Makhachkala on the Caspian Sea, to Tuapse on the Black Sea, ..... Click the link for more information.

is the capital. Prior to 1992 Chechnya and Ingushetia Ingushetia or Ingush Republic , republic, c.1,240 sq mi (3,210 sq km), Russian Federation, in the N Caucasus. The capital (since 2003) is Magas, a new city in the suburbs of Nazran, the former capital. ..... Click the link for more information. comprised the Checheno-Ingush Republic. The mountainous region has important oil deposits, as well as natural gas, limestone, gypsum, sulfur, and other minerals. Its mineral waters have made it a spa center. Agriculture is concentrated in the Terek and Sunzha river valleys. Oil, petrochemicals, oil-field equipment, foods, wines, and fruit are produced. The population, which is concentrated in the foothills, is predominantly Chechen, or Nokhchi. The Chechen, like the neighboring Ingush, are Sunni Muslim, and speak a Caucasian language.

History Recognized as a distinct people since the 17th cent., the Chechens were the most active opponents of Russia's conquest (1818–1917) of the Caucasus. They fought bitterly during an unsuccessful 1850s rebellion led by Imam Shamyl Shamyl or Shamil , 1798?–1871, imam (religious and political leader) of the E Caucasus. From 1834 to 1859 he led the Muslim tribes of the E Caucasus in their holy war to resist Russian conquest, waging guerrilla warfare with great skill. ..... Click the link for more information. . The Bolsheviks seized the region in 1918 but were dislodged in 1919 by counterrevolutionary forces under Gen. A. I. Denikin Denikin, Anton Ivanovich , 1872–1947, Russian general. The son of a serf, he rose from the ranks.

After the Bolshevik Revolution in Nov., 1917 (Oct., 1917, O.S.), he joined General Kornilov, whom he succeeded (1918) as commander of the anti-Bolshevik forces in the south. ..... Click the link for more information. . After Soviet rule was reestablished, the area was included in 1921 in the Mountain People's Republic. The Chechen Autonomous Region was created in 1922, and in 1934 it became part of the Chechen-Ingush Region, made a republic in 1936. After Chechen and Ingush units collaborated with the invading Germans during World War II, many residents were deported (1944) to Central Asia. Deportees were repatriated in 1956, and the republic was reestablished in 1957. In 1991, as the Soviet Union disintegrated, the Chechen-dominated parliament of the republic declared independence as the Republic of Ichkeria, soon better known as Chechnya.

In June, 1992, Russia granted Ingush inhabitants their own republic (Ingushetia) in the western fifth of the territory; in subsequent years there have been disputes and tension between the two republics over territory. Tensions between the Russian government and that of Chechen president Dzhokhar Dudayev escalated into warfare in late 1994, as Russian troops arrived to crush the separatist movement. Grozny was devastated in the fighting, and tens of thousands died. Russian forces regained control of many areas in 1995, but separatist guerrillas controlled much of the mountainous south and committed spectacular terrorist actions in other parts of Russia. Fighting continued through 1996, when Dudayev was killed and succeeded by Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev. The Russians withdrew, essentially admitting defeat, following a cease-fire that left Chechnya with de facto autonomy. Aslan Maskhadov, chief of staff of the Chechen forces, was elected president early in 1997 but appeared to have little control over the republic. In 1999, Islamic law was established.

Terrorism, including a series of bombings in Moscow, erupted again, and after Islamic militants invaded neighboring Dagestan Dagestan Republic or Daghestan Republic , constituent republic (1999 pop. 2,074,000), c.19,400 sq mi (50,250 sq km), SE European Russia, bounded on the E by the Caspian Sea. Makhachkala (the capital) and Derbent are the chief cities. ..... Click the link for more information. from Chechnya, Russian forces bombed and invaded Chechnya, capturing Grozny and forcing the rebels into mountain strongholds. The rebels continued to mount occasional guerrilla attacks on Russian forces, as well as terror attacks in Moscow and other Russian cities outside Chechnya, but there have been no significant rebel attacks in Chechnya since 2004. Both sides were accused of brutality and terrorizing noncombatants. In 2003 voters approved a new constitution for Chechnya, and Akhmad Kadyrov was subsequently elected president, but the election was generally regarded as neither free nor fair. Both the constitution and the president were backed by Russian government.

Kadyrov was assassinated in 2004; Alu Alkhanov was elected to succeed him. Russian forces killed Maskhadov, who was considered a moderate Chechen rebel leader, in 2005 and Shamil Baseyev, a notorious and significant rebel commander, in 2006. Alkhanov resigned as president in 2007 after a power struggle with Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov Kadyrov, Ramzan Akhmadovich, 1976–, Chechen rebel and political leader. The son of assassinated (2004) Chechnya president Akhmad Kadyrov, he was a guerilla leader in the first Chechen war (1994–96). ..... Click the link for more information. , son of the former president, and Kadyrov was then appointed president (the post was renamed imam in 2010) by Russian president Putin. Kadyrov has been accused of terroristic and sadistic brutality; a number of his rivals and critics have been assassinated, and there also has been an increase in antigovernment terrorist attacks.

Chechnya: Introduction Chechnya Introduction Chechnya (chĕchnyäˈ, chĕchˈnēə) [ key ] or Chechen Republic chəchĕnˈ, republic (1990 est. pop. 1,300,000, with neighboring Ingushetia), c.6,100 sq mi (15,800 sq km), SE European Russia, in the N Caucasus. Grozny is the capital. Prior to 1992 Chechnya and Ingushetia comprised the Checheno-Ingush Republic. The mountainous region has important oil deposits, as well as natural gas, limestone, gypsum, sulfur, and other minerals. Its mineral waters have made it a spa center. Agriculture is concentrated in the Terek and Sunzha river valleys. Oil, petrochemicals, oil-field equipment, foods, wines, and fruit are produced. The population, which is concentrated in the foothills, is predominantly Chechen, or Nokhchi. The Chechen, like the neighboring Ingush, are Sunni Muslim, and speak a Caucasian language.

Sections in this article: 10/25/2002 Yuri N. Maltsev The Moscow hostage crisis ended in a way one might expect, through massive violence inflicted by a state that has little regard for human life and an intense focus on displaying power. Russian troops pumped in poison gas that ended up killing 115 of the people the authorities were supposed to be rescuing. Vladimir Putin apologized for the loss of life but made no comment addressing what everyone knows is the underlying motive force of all violence: Russia's refusal to permit the Chechen nation freedom from Moscow's despotic rule. The Chechans are long past the point of desperation. As the Chechen fighters who held 800 hostages at a Moscow theater told the Russian authorities: "We are more keen on dying than you are keen on living." On the released video, a spokeswoman for the group said: "Every nation has the right to its fate. Russia has taken away this right from the Chechens and today we want to reclaim these rights, which God has given us (in the same way he has given it to other nations). God has given us the right of freedom and the right to choose our destiny.

And the Russian occupiers have flooded our land with our children's blood. And we have longed for a just solution. People are unaware of the innocent who are dying in Chechnya: the sheikhs, the women, the children and the weak ones. And therefore, we have chosen this approach. This approach is for the freedom of the Chechen people and there is no difference in where we die, and therefore we have decided to die here, in Moscow. And we will take with us the lives of hundreds of sinners. If we die, others will come/follow us—our brothers and sisters who are willing to sacrifice their lives (in God's way) to liberate their nation. Our nationalists have died but people have said that they (the nationalists) are terrorists and criminals. But the truth is Russia is the true criminal." She was right in almost everything but her view that innocent theatergoers (many of whom ended up dead at Russian hands in any case) should pay the price for centuries of oppression and genocide. In its misplaced but righteous, anger Chechen's youth are sacrificing themselves and hundreds of innocent lives in a desperate attempt to attract the world’s attention to the fate of their maimed and raped land.

Do we listen? Kremlin’s Madness The story of Chechen suffering is long: independent Chechnya was conquered by the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 19th century after a long and bloody war against a strong religious leader of the Chechens, the legendary Imam Shamil, who led Chechen resistance to czarist Russia. Young Count Leo Tolstoy, who served in the Russian Imperial Army in Chechnya in the 1840s, was so disgusted by the unjust and atrocious colonial war that he resigned from the army and wrote a story of Chechen war praising Shamil. Vladimir Lenin referred to Chechnya as the most backward outskirt of the Russian Empire—a prison of nationalities—and declared that development of these regions would be the primary target of the Bolshevik government. This promise became one in the long book of broken promises of socialism—a beautiful mountain country with proud and industrious people was completely destroyed by Communists. Stalin's purges of 1937, and consequent deportation of all Chechens and Ingush from their homeland to uninhabitable regions of Kazakhstan in 1944, belongs among the most horrible pages of the murderous history of the Soviet Union.

The former Speaker of the Russian parliament, Ruslan Khasbulatov (an ethnic Chechen himself), told me that over half of all Chechens were physically exterminated as a result of Stalin's "wise policy towards nationalities." Chechens I met in Grozny told me blood-freezing stories of deportation: People crowded into cattle cars without food, water, or sanitary facilities for several days, corpses traveling with children, killings of innocent protesters at the railway stations by KGB guards. Ethnic and religious cleansing of the Northern Caucasian district was the vision of Josef Stalin—the "Great Father of Nations". It was no surprise that long suffered Chechens declared their independence immediately upon the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991. So did fifteen other nations recognized today by the United States and the world community. The case of the Chechens was different—according to Stalin’s Constitution of 1936, only "Sister union" republics were granted a right to independence—not "autonomous" republics like Chechnya. The only difference is that Stalin assigned different statuses to different parts of his empire.

But surely Chechens or Tatars or Dagestani have as much right to nationhood as, say Estonia, Armenia or East Timor. The Chechens are a colonized people who have been conducting a struggle against imperial Russia and the imperial Soviet Union for more than 200 years. It is amazing that Stalin’s Constitution is still a valid legal document for the Bush administration refusing to recognize the right of the oppressed nationalities of Russia for self-determination. Putin's 1999 invasion of Chechnya brings back the memories of Stalin's deportation of Chechens and Ingush in 1944. Russian authorities unleashed an unprecedented propaganda campaign against Chechens as a nation. In recent years, Russian media have depicted the Chechen nation as thugs and bandits responsible for organized crime and street violence in Russia.

Russian "journalist" Yuri Mogutin wrote in the journal Novy Vzglyad (A New Glance) of the the Chechen nation "that it had given the world absolutely nothing except international terrorism and drugs business" and he remarked also "that any Russian feels towards the Chechens a zoological, genetic, animal hatred." Russian government propaganda (following the best traditions of Soviet indoctrination and employing the same people) was and is trying to portray all Chechens as criminals and fanatics. Chechens are portrayed possessing special "national" characteristics: "brutality, sadism, fanaticism and fascism." Chechens are even accused of "making Russians drunk by giving them vodka." The goal of Russia against Chechens was exposed by the Director of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Valery Tishkov: "Thanks to the press not only in Russia but also abroad, an image of 'Chechen Mafia' has been created, which neutralized the sympathy towards Chechens that had formed internationally as a result of the war. If it were not for that image, the international support for Chechens would have been even more tangible.

I also do not agree with the image of 'Medelin cartel' or criminal zone that has been thrust upon people. This is a myth. The level of crime among Chechens is no higher than among Georgians or Russians in Moscow. At the same time Chechens are very successful in business." It is little wonder that the Chechens discern a direct continuation of Tsarist and Stalinist politics when they read in the press utterances by Russian generals like "We need a Caucasus without Caucasians" and "We are ready to fight until the last Chechen, etc." Russian Prime Minister, ex-KGB operator Vladimir Putin, publicly accused them of their criminal character, and of running organized crime networks in Russia. "We’ll find dark-skinned terrorists even in a lavatory and end them there", he told Russian troops in Chechnya. Mikhail Barsukov, at the time a minister of the Russian government, characterized Chechens this way: "A Chechen is only capable of killing. If he cannot kill, he robs; if he is not capable of doing that, he steals, and there is no another kind of Chechen." This is the Russian political view of Chechens!

The Russian government’s mythology has it that all crime in Russia is perpetrated by Chechens or, many Americans parrot, "the Chechen Mafia." Maybe this is why both Democrats and Republicans, engulfed in hysteria here, are giving Putin the green light and are practically funding his infamous war. Russian statists from Aleksandr Barkashov, the leader of the Russian National Unity Party, which styles itself a fascist party, to Alexei Arbatov, the leader of the Liberal wing of the Russian Duma, have endorsed the war in Chechnya. Zhirinovsky, who is openly anti-Muslim and anti-Turkish (he spent some time in a Turkish prison while being an exchange student there) and the communist leader Gennadii Zuganov are professing the urgency of the preservation of Greater Russia and an expansion to the South. It is unlikely that Putin's regime can succeed in Chechnya where generations of harsh, repressive rule and genocide have failed. Due to an irresponsibly adventurous clique in the Kremlin, Russia is facing a long-standing confrontation with Chechens and the Muslim world at large. With terror in Russia unleashed by Chechens the war became as elusive as the Sufi orders themselves.

Today the Russian government, with the silent blessing of the Bush administration (good relations with Russia is one of its very few, if not its only dubious achievement in foreign policy) continues its aggression against vastly inferior but, apparently, highly motivated Chechen freedom fighters. The U.S. taxpayers are subsidizing this war by financing financial and military aid to Russia. Russian fighter-bombers and helicopter gunships have completely destroyed the capital city of Grozny and numerous villages. Cowardly, unfocused, nighttime bombing went unpunished. Today Chechnya is infested with Russian land mines and Chechens are being killed or maimed by them every day. Russian government statements tend to reinforce fears that another deportation may be soon to come. Those fears stem not only from the sad memory of the 1944 deportation of Chechens and Ingush but also from the 1992 and 1993 ferocious ethnic cleansing of the Ingush population from Prigorodnyi Raion—a fact completely ignored by the pro-Russian media and government policy of the West.

Officials of the Russian Federal Migration Service admitted that accommodation had been arranged for refugees from Chechnya in seven regions of central and southern Russia and that an operational group had been set up to coordinate the action. Russia's Ministry for Emergency Situations claims that the number of refugees is much higher and close to 150,000. Migration accommodation is a window-dressing used by Russian propaganda apparatchiks for a forced ousting of Chechens from their homeland in the pursuance of crushing their aspirations for independence. Apparently, the processes of willing exodus or deportation have already begun. Russia's forces have chosen the tactic of displacing the population. In fact, there is little or no evidence linking any of the apartment bombings to "Chechen terrorists." General Aleksandr Lebed, who was one of the most popular candidates for the Russian presidency but conveniently died this year in a helicopter crash, believed that the so-called "terrorist bombings" were actually fabricated by the Kremlin itself. Chechen rebel leader, Shamil Basayev, has proudly claimed previous terrorist attacks on Russia, including a 1995 attack on a hospital in the village of Budyonnovsk, Southern Russia.

This time, however, he denied having anything to do with the bombings. Like Lebed, Basayev believes these bombings are the work not of Chechens, but of the Kremlin or its politically active secret services, as a way of provoking chaos and swamping the coming presidential elections. Vladimir Putin, an ex-KGB operative, may be the lynch pin: he could be trying to secure his claim to the presidency in the wake of the present nationalist hysteria. Putin is hardly unusual in this. Powerful politicians often believe that they can personally benefit by being seen to be solving a crisis of this magnitude, even when the real source of the crisis is the prior actions of the state itself. This time, the hostage crisis in Moscow was definitely of Chechens' making. But the action, as appalling as it is, does not appear in a historical or political vacuum.

Capital of Chechnya - definition of Capital of Chechnya by The Free Dictionary Capital of Chechnya - definition of Capital of Chechnya by The Free Dictionary Related to Capital of Chechnya: Chechen Republic , Kicking Horse River Groz·ny or Groz·nyy (grôz′nē) The capital of Chechnya in southwest Russia. In the center of a rich oil-producing area, it was a major objective of German forces during World War II. Much of the city was destroyed in battles (1994-1995 and 1999-2000) between Russian troops and Chechen secessionists. Grozny Chechnya – Travel guide at Wikivoyage Hong Kong For most international travellers, the Chechen Republic ( Russian : Чече́нская Респу́блика, Chechenskaya Respublika, Chechen : Нохчийн Республика, Noxçiyn Respublika) is a remarkably unknown place. While infamous for its turbulent past, little is known about the region's recent developments or about the stunning mountainous landscapes, picturesque lakes and friendly people that define this part of the Northern Caucasus.

Although most foreign governments still consider the political situation too dangerous for travel purposes of any kind, large Russian investments have improved infrastructure and urban development considerably in recent years. Those who make the journey to Grozny will find a capital reborn, where signs of the war are few and shiny new residences and shopping malls give away little about the struggling local economy, dependance on federal funding and fragile peace. Chechnya still has a way to go when it comes to inviting tourism in serious numbers, but it surely is getting ready for it. Understand[ edit ] Location of Chechnya The Chechen Republic is a small autonomous region within the Russian Federation. It is situated in the Caucasian Mountains and Lowlands. History[ edit ] Tsoy-Peda. Ruined Aul (Аул) Nominally part of Russia since the early 19th century, fiercely independent Chechnya has been in a near constant state of rebellion ever since the approach of Russian power. At times throughout the history of this conflict, including very recent times, Chechen rebellion has spread to neighbouring regions and threatened the spectre of a multi-ethnic Muslim rebellion across the entire northern Caucasus.

What is most important for the traveller is that the anti-Russian violence as well as the Russian military response have been spectacularly brutal, purposely victimizing whoever is most vulnerable: the everyday Russian Federation citizens (Russian and Chechen alike) unfortunate enough to live here and, yes, outsiders who are foolish enough to walk into this danger zone. The region is desperately poor, plagued by enough problems already. One of the most traumatic episodes of violence took place following the Second World War, when Stalin accused Chechens of collaborating with the Nazis and mass deported the entire ethnic Chechen populace to the cold steppe of northern Kazakhstan . Provisions were not made to ensure that the deported Chechens had a good chance of surviving the deportation. Survivors were later allowed to return under Khrushchev. In one of the most horrific events of recent times, the radical Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev ordered his commandos to take hostage a primary school in Beslan , North Ossetia , ending the incident with a shocking massacre of innocent schoolchildren. Chechnya was safe for travel during Soviet rule, but travellers, don't hold your breath. Wide-scale violence has become the norm of this tragic region.

On a lighter note, Chechnya is a country of extraordinary beauty, full of majestic mountains with lush vegetation and auls (mountaintop villages) rising above the tree lines; rapid rivers have cut spectacular gorges throughout the region. Chechen culture is distinctly romantic and chivalric. It is at once steeped in Islamic Sufi mysticism and in the macho codes of hardy mountain tribes. The Chechens have a distinct culture of Caucasian music and dance. The Chechens traditionally follow a strict code of honour and hospitality to accepted guests; unyielding hostility and violence towards enemies. All this could make Chechnya an intoxicating destination for the adventurous, but the present security situation should rule out this destination to all but the hardiest of travellers. The present situation is taking an improvement, though on a light scale. The region is headed by the autocratic Kadyrov family. More recently, the government has allowed foreign companies to develop Chechnya's rich and previously neglected oil resources, which have brought wealth to the country. Yet most of the money falls in the hands of only a few people. While Grozny is full of new construction and a rising middle-class, much of the region remains poor.

Corruption is much more widespread in Chechnya than in some of its neighbours. By plane[ edit ] Chechnya's airport is finally open again for the first time since the start of the war. Planes to Grozny leave 3 times a week from Moscow 's Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports. Estimated flying time is 2 hours and 30 minutes. In November 2016 there was only one international regular service to/from Bishkek . By train[ edit ] A train leaves from/to Moscow once every 2 days. This train is under heavy security by the Russian military so expect long delays and possibly other hassles. Caution must be exercised when travelling by rail in Chechnya due to potential terrorist attacks. By bus[ edit ] A daily bus leaves from and to Nazran in equally unstable Ingushetia . Small buses leave from and to many Caucasian, south-Russian cities. Talk[ edit ] Chechen and Russian are the two main languages spoken in Chechnya. Remember that the political situation is very tense — a foreigner speaking Chechen may attract unwanted attention from the authorities. English on the other hand is spoken by almost nobody, even in the capital.

Drink[ edit ] There are no night clubs or discos in Chechnya. However, beer is sold on the street in Grozny. Common sense should be used when drinking alcohol, especially in danger zones. Alcohol may be legally sold only from 08.00 to 10.00 and prohibited at all other times. Sleep[ edit ] More and more hotels appear. There is a wide range of accommodation from hostels to spa resorts. The flagship is the 5-star Grozny City, near the Presidential Palace, which has English-speaking staff. Traveler should be aware about lack of service's quality. 43.3247 45.1664 1 Sernovodsk-Kavkazskiy Resort (Курорт "Серноводск - Кавказский"), Курорт "Серноводск - Кавказский" 4, 366701 Sernovodsk. Check-in: 10:00 - 18:00, check-out: 12:00. Spa resort since 1893.

The main building are modern developed, and all equipment is new. (updated Nov 2016) 42.7657 46.1396 2 Holiday Park Kezenoy-Am. Resort on Kezenoy-Am lake (updated Nov 2016) Stay safe[ edit ] Many foreign governments, including the UK, Canadian and US governments, strongly warn their citizens not to travel to Chechnya under any circumstances. They report that there have been many incidents of their citizens visiting there as well as Russian citizens being missing, killed, or kidnapped for ransom. Some independent analysts suggest that there are no more than 2,000 separatist combatants still fighting, but by travelling to Chechnya you are taking a serious risk. Kidnappings and unexploded mines and munitions are widespread, while terrorist activity and shootings still occur on a lesser scale. Close contacts within the local population does not guarantee safety. It is highly recommended to take guide tour in mountains and not walk on goats trails without guides because of risk of being blown up by land mines from the various Chechen wars.

If you still feel determined to experience the beauty of Chechnya despite the accompanying dangers, then you may want to consider visiting the Pankisi area of Georgia instead. The security situation there has stabilized enough for reasonably safe travel, it looks very similar to Chechnya, and it is full of Chechen refugees who may be much more approachable than those in Chechnya. Stay healthy[ edit ] The civil war may be over in Chechnya, but the situation is far from secure and basic necessities are often relatively scarce. It would be wise for one to assume that some necessities may not be available there, so get everything you need before visiting the region. Working plumbing, heat, and electricity are valuable commodities in parts of Chechnya due to a failing infrastructure that is the result of years of conflict. Be sure to sanitize all water or bring bottled water. Respect[ edit ] The most important term to know while discover for yourself Chechen culture is Nokhchalla (Нохчалла) - unwritten code of Honor, living and life of chechen people. Also, this term relates to all Vainakh group (Ingush, Kistin people).

This term regulates and raises all aspects of human starting from meaning of life and finishing with household arrangement. Remember that Chechnya is a strongly patriarchal Sunni Muslim society, so try to behave accordingly. Women travellers are advised to exercise particular caution, and should seriously consider bringing a male escort for their own protection. Mobile[ edit ] In Chechnya there are two Russian federal GSM operators (Beeline, Megafon) and they often have offers that give you a SIM card for free or at least very cheap. If you are planning to stay a while and to keep in touch with locals, you should consider buying a local SIM card instead of going on roaming. To buy a SIM card from a shop you'll need your passport for identification. This region travel guide to Chechnya is an outline and may need more content. It has a template , but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow !

Chechnya Republic, Russia guide 7 October, 2011 / The celebrations of City day in Grozny . News, notes and thoughts: 12 May, 2011 / Diego Maradona took to the field Wednesday to captain a team of retired superstars in a ceremonial match to mark the opening of a new stadium in Chechnya . Chechnya history Chechnya and the Russian Empire In the 13th century, as a result of the Mongol invasion, the ancestors of the Chechens were forced to leave the plains and go to the mountains. In the 14th century, the Chechens formed an early feudal state called Simsir. Later it was destroyed by the troops of Tamerlane. After the collapse of the Golden Horde, the plains of present Chechnya came under the control of the Kabardian and Dagestani feudals. Until the 16th century, forced to leave flat lands, the Chechens lived mainly in the mountains.

From the 16th century, the Chechens gradually began to return from the mountains to the plains of Chechnya, in the valley of the Terek River, the banks of the Sunzha and the Argun rivers. At the same time, the expansion of the Russian state in the North Caucasus began, following the defeat of the Astrakhan Khanate. More Historical Facts… During the reign of Peter I, the Russian army for the first time came to the Chechen land. In the early 18th century, Chechens received their name in the Russian sources - after the name of the village of Chechen-Aul. The first military campaigns did not pursue the goal of accession Chechnya to Russia. It was a response to the constant attacks of the Chechens on the Terek Cossack settlements. The Chechens earned a reputation of dangerous brigands constantly harassing the country’s borders. From 1721 to 1783, punitive expeditions of Russian troops in Chechnya to pacify “unruly” tribes became systematic. In the 19th century, after the Caucasian War, most of Chechnya became part of the Russian Empire.

Chechnya and the USSR At the end of the 1930s, Chechnya and Ingushetia regions were combined and the united Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Republic was formed. In 1944, most of the Chechens and Ingush were deported to Kazakh SSR (present Kazakhstan) and Kirghiz SSR (Kyrgyzstan). The official reason of Stalin’s decision was that it was a punishment for cooperating with Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Later, after 1956, the surviving Chechens and Ingush were allowed to return to their homeland according to Khrushchev’s de-Stalinization program. In the mid-1980s, national movements intensified in many republics of the Soviet Union including the Chechen-Ingush Republic. The leader of the local movement was Dzhokhar Dudayev, a major general of the Soviet Air Force. Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia, argued that Chechnya could not gain independence because in Soviet times the region was always part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

Another reason was that if Chechnya could gain independence then some other regions of Russia (for example, Tatarstan) would also like to gain independence. The first Chechen war In 1991, Chechnya declared its independence and Dzhokhar Dudayev was elected president. The Congress of People’s Deputies of Russia declared the election illegal. Boris Yeltsin issued a decree imposing a state of emergency in the republic. In response, Dudayev declared martial law and ordered the creation of armed self-defense units. November 9, 1991, transport planes with Russian soldiers landed in Khankala airport but they were blocked by the Chechen self-defense units. Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus announced support for Chechnya. The Russian government had to negotiate with the separatists and achieved the withdrawal of troops blocked in Khankala. All Russian troops stationed in Chechnya were withdrawn, and most of the weapons, including tanks and aircraft, got into the hands of separatists. The region was actually split into two: Chechnya and Ingushetia. Chechnya de facto became an independent republic, but it was not recognized by any country in the world, including Russia.

Later, in 1994, the first Chechen war began, it lasted for more than two years. Russia fought to stop Chechnya from seceding while the Chechens fought for their independence. The Russian army had more human resources, artillery, air support but it could not effectively control mountain areas where Chechen guerrillas operated. April 21, 1996, Chechen President Dzhokhar Dudayev was killed in an airstrike. August 31, 1996, in the Russian city of Khasavyurt, a representative of Russia (Alexander Lebed) and a representative of Chechnya (Aslan Maskhadov) signed a peace agreement, according to which the Russian troops were withdrawn from Chechnya, and the decision on the republic status was delayed for five years (until December 31, 2001). Chechnya again became de facto an independent but not-recognized state. The second Chechen war In 1997, Aslan Maskhadov was elected as the president of Chechnya. He continues to strengthen the independence of Chechnya but at the same time asked for Russian help to rebuild the war-torn republic.

Russia transferred money intended for the restoration of the republic, pensions, maintaining hospitals and schools. Later, in August 1999, Chechen forces launched an attack on neighboring Dagestan Republic trying to help Shura of Dagestan who wanted Dagestan to be independent from Russia. In September 1999, several bombs were detonated in apartment buildings in Moscow and other Russian cities. The Chechens were accused of these terrorist acts and the second Chechen war began. At this time, the Russian army was better prepared. It could establish control over all parts of Chechnya. In February, 2000, Grozny, the capital of the republic, was captured. Today, the Chechen resistance is almost completely suppressed. However, terrorist attacks continue to occur in the North Caucasus. Beautiful nature of Chechnya Author: Imran Baino Chechnya features The Chechen Republic is located in the North Caucasus, in the valleys of the Terek and Sunzha rivers. In the northern districts there are steppes and semi-deserts (Terek-Kuma Lowland), in the center - forest-steppe plains (Chechen Plain), in the south - the Caucasus Mountains.

Mountain ranges, valleys and intermountain basins cover about 35% of the territory of the republic. Mountains occupy the entire southern part forming a band 30-50 km width. In the south Chechnya borders Georgia. From north to south of the Chechen Republic stretches 170 km, from west to east - more than 100 km. The largest cities and towns are Grozny (283,700), Urus-Martan (57,000), Shali (52,000), Gudermes (52,000), Argun (35,000). The climate is continental. Chechnya is characterized by a considerable variety of climatic conditions. The average January temperature is between minus 3 degrees Celsius on the Terek-Kuma Lowland and minus 12 degrees Celsius in the mountains, the average temperature in July - plus 25 and 21 degrees Celsius respectively. Oil and natural gas sector dominates in the structure of the economy of the Chechen Republic. There are about 30 oil and natural gas fields in the region.

Crops, vineyards, vegetables, poultry farming, and sheep breeding are the basis of agriculture. Chechnya pictures Chechen Separatist Movement Final Project- Michael Wilkinson | Washington State University Chechen Separatist Movement Final Project- Michael Wilkinson January 15, 2015 Michael Wilkinson The Chechen Separatist Movement: The Endless War The Chechen separatist movement was sparked from the long and bloody history of the Russian occupation of Chechnya. When the soviet Union collapsed, Chechen separatists seizes the opportunity to gain independents and launched a brutal war for independence that led to two wars and a continued insurgency that would rank as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent years. The conflict was fought with extreme prejudice leading to war crimes and acts of terrorism on both sides. The roots of this conflict come from the historical relationship between the Russian Government and the Chechen people. This historical relationship included the mistreatment of the Chechen people included the brutal conquering of the Caucasus region, multiple deportations and expulsions of Chechens and the Russian Government’s negligence over the region. All of these factors lead to the Chechen separatist movement.

Chechnya neighbors Russia, and is currently one of the Russian Republics. The landscape of Chechnya varies throughout the region. The southern region of Chechnya is dominated by the Causeless Mountains while the northern region is mainly plains and lowlands. The Caucasus Mountains is where the majority of current and historic fighting had happened. The Caucasus is a series of large mountains that divide the Black and Caspian Seas. The capital city of Chechnya is Grozny. [1] Chechens are subsidiary along with the Ingushians, of the Vaninach nation. The Vaninach are dependence of the Benos. The term Chechen was invited by the Russians; they were previously known as the Nochchi. The closest village to a Russian fort in Gozni, where Nochchi people lived was called Chechen Aula, and as such the name Chechen was given to those that lived there. [2] Chechnya has not always been under Russian control. Starting in the seventh century there began an influx of Sunni Islam into the region.

In the eight century Arabs, began to enter the region with the intent to convert as many people as possible, but the Turks began to push the missionaries into the mountains, were they began to convert the Nochchi. [3] By the 19th century, Islam was widely accepted thought the region. Russians made their first move into the Caucasus in the 1550s, when Ivan the Terrible moved through the northern Caucasus, after conquering Kazan, but it was not until the end of the sixteenth century, when Russia began to unify neighboring territories, that there was direct contact between Russians and Nochchi. In 1663, the Russian Empire began to attempt to conquer the Caucus region. Although the locals put up a stong resistance, Russia eventually comply conquered Chechnya in the early eighteenth century. It is from this moment that strives for Chechen independence began and for over three centuries after the initial conquest, the Chechen people never stopped fighting their Russian occupiers.[3] The first major battle between Russians and Chechens was in 1722 during the reign of Peter the Great.

Russian forces were sent to Enderi, a village in eastern Chechnya on the Aktash River. The Russian cavalry that was sent sustained heavy losses after fighting the locals. After the death of Peter the Great in 1725, Russian expansion in Chechnya was put on hold. It would not be until Catherine the Great came to power in 1762 that significant Russian forces would return to Chechnya.[3] Catherine the Great like her predecessors strongly believed in Russian state building. Russia began to send Christian Orthodox missionaries into the region. This was met with fierce opposition from the Muslim majority within the Caucuses. New roads and forts were built to insure Russian dominance over the region as well as Christians sent to settle the land. This increasing encroachment upon Islam would lead to the Sheikh Mansur rebellion.[5] Fig.1 Sheikh Mansur began to lead an insurrection from 1785 to 1771. He came from a Muslim village near the current Capital of Grozny. His village was under immense social and economic pressure caused by the Russians. [4] In 1784 he claimed the title of sheikh and later the title of imam and began preaching.

He called for a purified Islam and saw the Russians as infidels, who were corrupting the Muslims in the region. Russian spies soon learned that Mansur was planning a campaign in Kabarda, to force its populace to Islam. In response Russian forces were sent to occupy Mansur’s base of operations. When they arrived the village had been burnt to the ground and was deserted. While returning from the mission the Russian forces were ambushed by Mansur and his followers and massacred. Over 600 men were killed including their commanding officer, 200 were captured. Only 100 Russians escaped. This massacre sparked a holy war that soon spread to neighboring Dagestan and Kabarda.[5] At the height of the conflict most of the Northern Caucuses were engulfed in the conflict. Mansur force grew to 12,000 strong. His initial successes lead to overconfidence and a chain of devastating defeats at the hands of the Russians. He was eventually captured and his followers were killed off, but his legacy helped inspire Chechen resistance in the 1990s that would culminate into the first Chechen War.

[5] In 1818, the massive fortress Grozni was erected. It had been built by five thousand workers in just four months. The fort was surrounded by trenches and six bastions. Its purpose was to block off the Chechens access to a strategic mountain pass that lead into the flat lands. This leads to heavy ant-Russian resistance. Imam Shamil led the insertion. He attempted to create an Islamic state made up of Chechnya and Dagestan. For thirty years the resistance was highly successful, but was eventually defeated on September 25, 1859. [6] It had taken Russia over half a century to retake Chechnya and even after the defeat of Imam Shamil. Anti-Russian resistance was now seen as part of Chechen culture. In 1865 Russia carried out there solution to the Chechen problem. The solution took form in the deportation of 700,000 Chechen and Ingush people from their homes.

The idea was that with so many deported, the Chechens could not sustain any sizable resistance and from then forth every attempted insurrection was meant with extreme prejudice.[6] The importance of Chechnya grew when it was discovered that the lands within Chechnya were rich with oil. Oil from Chechnya made up 14% of all oil produced in Russia by 1914.[6] Many Chechens saw hope for independence with the start of the Russian Revolution, in 1917. The Islamic state of Chechnya and Dagestan was once again proclaimed and in 1918 the Mountain Republic was established. However this would be extremely short lived. Russia had once again occupied Chechnya by 1920.[6] By 1921 Chechnya became part of the Soviet Union’s Mountain Autonomous Region and in 1922 Chechnya was itself part of the Soviet Union. There were two insurrections during this period, the latter of which ended in 1925. [7] Fig. 2 In 1944 Chechnya suffered its greatest mistreatment at the hands of the Russian Government.

The German army approached the North Caucasus region in search of its oil fields. In the wake of years of negligence by the Russian Government, many Chechens seized the opportunity to revolt. [8] Some joined the ranks of the Germans “eastern legions’’ made up of local fighter from throughout the Caucasus. However these regiments proved to be poorly trained and equipped and unable to effectively fight the Soviets. [9] After the Soviets defeated the German 17th Army, the Chechen revolts were quickly suppressed. As revenge for both the revolts and collaborations with the German Army, Stalin order the deportation of over 60% of all inhabitants within Chechnya including the Chechen and Ingush populations to Siberia and Central Asia.[8] After the deportation, Russian authorities redrew the maps of the Caucus region. Chechnya was literally wiped off the map. Districts with Chechen names were renamed with Russian ones. The deportation had destroyed the Caucasus oil industry. The sudden removal of workers led to a sharp decline in the rate of oil extraction.

It was not only the loss of manpower that hurt the extraction rate it was the loss of the experienced Ingush and Chechen drillers, who had been drilling all their life. [10] After the death of Stalin in 1953, and after 14 years of exile, the charges against the Chechen and Ingush were officially cleared and they regained their land in the late 1950s. In a desalinization speech, Nikita Khrushchev denounced the deportation of the Chechen and Ingush people. [11] In 1956 the New York Times reported on the Soviet disclosure of the whereabouts of 100,000 Caucasian tribal people, who were deported in World War II, for alleged collaboration with the Germans. The Chechen and Ingush people who were deported, resettled in Kazakhstan. In 1956 these two groups had regained their minority rights, which included the use of their native language.

In his desalinization speech, Khrushchev said “No man of common sense can grasp how it is possible to make entire national groups, including women, children, old people, Communists and Communist youths, responsible for hostile actions and to use mass repression against them.” Following their deportation, all references to the two other ethic tribes, the Karachai and the Balkans were expunged from all Soviet publications. In 1956 the announcement of the two tribes in Soviet publication was the first public mention of them since their deportation. [12] Although they were although to return, The Chechen and Ingush people did not receive a warm welcome. They were not allowed to return to their mountain villages; instead they were moved to worker settlements in the lowlands. The Russian Government wanted to keep the Chechens away from the mountains, which had served as their ancestors’ fortresses, during times of insurrection. [13] In August 1958, an anti-Chechen movement started in Groznyi. Russians in the area felt resentment towards the returning Chechens. A mob broke out after a Russian sailor was killed by an Ingush.

The riot lasted for four days and many in the mob demanded another deportation. The mob searched all Chechens and Ingush for weapons. Those found in possession of one were immediately shot. After this incident Chechens and Ingush were treated as second class citizens by both the Russian populace and the Russian Government.[12] This treatment fueled many to strive for independence. Fig 3. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Chechen separatists launched a brutal campaign for independents. In December of 1994 Russian troops enter Chechnya to crush the independence movement and reestablish a pro Russian Government. The Russian military began bombing the capital of Chechnya, Groznyy. Mostly civilians died in the bombing and much of the city was destroyed. On December 10th Russian troops crossed the border to encircle the city. Although the capital had been leveled, the separatists still controlled most of the region. By April 1995, 1,500 Russian troops and 25,000 civilians had been killed. Theses casualties led to vast public outcry over the occupation.

A cease fire was declare in 1996 and one year later a peace agreement was enacted, thus ending the first Chechen war in a humiliating defeat for the Russian Military. [14] In 1999, after re-winning public support, the second Chechen War began. The Russian Government gained this support by attributing the Dagestan apartment bombings, to Chechen separatists. In the minds of many Russians this was no longer a conflict over Chechnya; it was a conflict over terrorism. [15] The Russian Military was better prepared this time and major fighting ended in 2000, but this was not the end of the war. From 2000 to 2009 Chechen separatists conducted an insurgency throughout the Caucuses. However Russian counter terrorist units pacified the insurgency and in 2009 Russian authorities declared operations against Chechen rebels over. [16] Although operations have been declared over, there is still an insurgency within Chechnya and attacks are not uncommon. Because the Russian Government labeled them terrorist, many insurgents have embraced the idea of Jihad and see themselves as holy warriors.

The Chechen separatist moment’s roots lie from Russia’s historical mistreatment of the Chechen people. This mistreatment was in the form of brutal conquests, multiple deportations and the Russian Government’s negligence and would ignite two wars and a continued insurgency within the Caucasus region. Footnotes [1] “Chechnya Profile – Overview.” BBC News. Accessed April 23, 2015. [2] Knezys, Stasys, and Romanas Sedlickas. The War in Chechnya. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 1999. Page 9-11 [3] Dunlop, John B. Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Pages 3-7 [4] Knezys, Stasys, and Romanas Sedlickas. The War in Chechnya. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 1999. Page 13 [5] Dunlop, John B. Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Pages 7-12 [6] Knezys, Stasys, and Romanas Sedlickas. The War in Chechnya. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 1999. Pages 13-14 [7] Dunlop, John B. Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Pages 36-37 [8] Knezys, Stasys, and Romanas Sedlickas. The War in Chechnya. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 1999. Page 15 [9] “Soviet Storm: World War II in the East – The Battle of the Caucasus” . Star Media’s Official Youtube Channel. Retrieved 24 July 2014. [10] Dunlop, John B. Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Pages 73-74 [11] Shabad, Theodore. “MOSCOW HONORS CAUCASUS TRIBES: But Long Period of Exile Under Stalin Is Ignored.” New York Times (New York), December 2, 1972. [12] Shabad, Theodore. “SOVIET EASES LOT OF EXILED TRIBES: Also Ends Long Secrecy Over Whereabouts of Two Groups Banished as Pro-German.”The New York Times (New York), July 17, 1956. [13] Dunlop, John B. Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Pages 79-81 [14] “Military.” First Chechnya War. Accessed April 23, 2015. [15] Pain, Emil. “Foreign Military Studies Office Publications – The Second Chechen War: The Information Component.” Foreign Military Studies Office Publications – The Second Chechen War: The Information Component. July 2000. Accessed April 23, 2015.

[16] “Timeline: Chechnya.” BBC News. January 19, 2011. Accessed April 23, 2015. Bibliography Secondary: “Chechnya Profile – Overview.” BBC News. Accessed April 23, 2015. Dunlop, John B. Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Knezys, Stasys, and Romanas Sedlickas. The War in Chechnya. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 1999. “Military.” First Chechnya War. Accessed April 23, 2015. Pain, Emil. “Foreign Military Studies Office Publications – The Second Chechen War: The Information Component.” Foreign Military Studies Office Publications – The Second Chechen War: The Information Component. July 2000. Accessed April 23, 2015. “Timeline: Chechnya.” BBC News. January 19, 2011. Accessed April 23, 2015.

Primary: Shabad, Theodore. “MOSCOW HONORS CAUCASUS TRIBES: But Long Period of Exile Under Stalin Is Ignored.” New York Times (New York), December 2, 1972. Shabad, Theodore. “SOVIET EASES LOT OF EXILED TRIBES: Also Ends Long Secrecy Over Whereabouts of Two Groups Banished as Pro-German.”The New York Times (New York), July 17, 1956. Illistrations: Figure 1. Sheikh Mansur Portrait, #/media/File:Sheikh_Mansur_140-190_for_collage.jpg Figure 2. Chechens being deported, Figure 3. Russian artillery shells militant positions, 2000, #/media/File:Chechnya9268.jpg 6 thoughts on “Chechen Separatist Movement Final Project- Michael Wilkinson” Clif Stratton

Question: What is the capital of the Caucasian state of Chechnya?
Answer: Grozny