Drawing Chechen war before and after. Unknown photos of the war in Chechnya. Civilian casualties
Russian troops fought in Chechnya even under the tsars, when the Caucasus region was only part of the Russian Empire. But in the nineties of the last century, a real massacre began there, the echoes of which have not subsided so far. The Chechen war in 1994-1996 and in 1999-2000 are two disasters for the Russian army.
Background of the Chechen Wars
The Caucasus has always been a very difficult region for Russia. Questions of nationality, religion, culture have always been raised very sharply and were solved by far from peaceful means.
After it collapsed in 1991 Soviet Union, in Chechen-Ingush ASSR On the basis of national and religious hostility, the influence of the separatists increased, as a result of which the Republic of Ichkeria was self-proclaimed. She entered into a confrontation with Russia.
In November 1991, Boris Yeltsin, then President of Russia, issued a decree "On the introduction of a state of emergency on the territory of the Chechen-Ingush Republic." But this decree was not supported in the Supreme Council of Russia, due to the fact that most of the seats there were occupied by opponents of Yeltsin.
In 1992, on March 3, Dzhokhar Dudayev announced that he would only negotiate when Chechnya gained full independence. A few days later, on the twelfth, the Chechen parliament adopted a new constitution, self-proclaiming the country a secular independent state.
Almost immediately, all government buildings, all military bases, all strategically important objects were captured. The territory of Chechnya completely came under the control of the separatists. From that moment on, legitimate centralized power ceased to exist. The situation got out of control: the trade in weapons and people flourished, drug trafficking passed through the territory, bandits robbed the population (especially Slavic).
In June 1993, soldiers from Dudayev's bodyguard seized the parliament building in Grozny, and Dudayev himself proclaimed the emergence of "sovereign Ichkeria" - a state that he completely controlled.
A year later, the First Chechen War (1994-1996) will begin, which will mark the beginning of a whole series of wars and conflicts that have become, perhaps, the most bloody and cruel in the entire territory of the former Soviet Union.
First Chechen: the beginning
On December 11, 1994, Russian troops entered Chechnya in three groups. One entered from the west, through North Ossetia, another - through Mozdok, and the third group - from the territory of Dagestan. Initially, the command was entrusted to Eduard Vorobyov, but he refused and resigned, citing the complete unpreparedness of this operation. Later, the operation in Chechnya will be headed by Anatoly Kvashnin.
Of the three groups, only the "Mozdok" was able to successfully reach Grozny on December 12 - the other two were blocked in different parts of Chechnya by local residents and partisan detachments of militants. A few days later, the remaining two groups of Russian troops approached Grozny and blocked it from all sides, with the exception of the southern direction. Up to the start of the assault from this side, access to the city will be free for the militants, this later influenced the siege of Grozny by federal waxes.
Assault on Grozny
On December 31, 1994, the assault began, which claimed many lives of Russian soldiers and remained one of the most tragic episodes in Russian history. About two hundred units of armored vehicles entered Grozny from three sides, which were almost powerless in the conditions of street fighting. Communication between the companies was poorly established, which made it difficult to coordinate joint actions.
Russian troops are stuck on the streets of the city, constantly falling under the crossfire of militants. The battalion of the Maykop brigade, which advanced the farthest towards the center of the city, was surrounded and was almost completely destroyed along with its commander, Colonel Savin. The battalion of the Petrakuvsky Motorized Rifle Regiment, which went to the rescue of the "Maikopians", according to the results of two days of fighting, consisted of about thirty percent of the original composition.
By the beginning of February, the number of stormers was increased to seventy thousand people, but the assault on the city continued. Only on February 3, Grozny was blocked from the south side and taken into the ring.
On March 6, part of the last detachments of Chechen separatists were killed, the other left the city. Grozny remained under the control of Russian troops. In fact, little was left of the city - both sides actively used both artillery and armored vehicles, so Grozny practically lay in ruins.
On the rest, there were continuous local battles between Russian troops and militant groups. In addition, the militants prepared and conducted a series (June 1995), in Kizlyar (January 1996). In March 1996, the militants made an attempt to recapture Grozny, but the assault was repelled by Russian soldiers. And Dudayev was liquidated.
In August, the militants repeated their attempt to take Grozny, this time it was a success. Many important objects in the city were blocked by the separatists, Russian troops suffered very heavy losses. Together with Grozny, the militants took Gudermes and Argun. On August 31, 1996, the Khasavyurt Agreement was signed - First Chechen War ended with huge losses For Russia.
Human losses in the First Chechen War
The data varies depending on which side is counting. Actually, this is not surprising and it has always been so. Therefore, all options are provided below.
Losses in the Chechen war (table No. 1 according to the headquarters of the Russian troops):
The two figures in each column, where the losses of Russian troops are indicated, are two headquarters investigations that were carried out with a difference of a year.
According to the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers, the consequences of the Chechen war are completely different. Some of those killed there are called about fourteen thousand people.
Losses in the Chechen war (table No. 2) of militants according to Ichkeria and a human rights organization:
Among the civilian population, "Memorial" put forward a figure of 30-40 thousand people, and the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation A.I. Lebed - 80,000.
Second Chechen: main events
Even after the signing of the peace agreements, things did not become calmer in Chechnya. The militants ran everything, there was a brisk trade in drugs and weapons, people were kidnapped and killed. On the border between Dagestan and Chechnya, it was alarming.
After a series of kidnappings of major businessmen, officers, journalists, it became clear that the continuation of the conflict in a more acute phase is simply inevitable. Moreover, since April, small groups of militants began to probe the weak points in the defense of Russian troops, preparing an invasion of Dagestan. The invasion operation was led by Basayev and Khattab. The place where the militants planned to strike was in the mountainous zone of Dagestan. There, the small number of Russian troops was combined with the inconvenient location of the roads, along which you could not transfer reinforcements very quickly. On August 7, 1999, the militants crossed the border.
The main striking force of the bandits were mercenaries and Islamists from Al-Qaeda. For almost a month there were battles with varying success, but, finally, the militants were driven back to Chechnya. Along with this, the bandits carried out a series of terrorist attacks in various cities of Russia, including Moscow.
As a response, on September 23, a heavy shelling of Grozny began, and a week later, Russian troops entered Chechnya.
Casualties in the Second Chechen War among Russian servicemen
The situation had changed, and Russian troops now played a dominant role. But many mothers never waited for their sons.
Losses in the Chechen war (table No. 3):
In June 2010, the commander-in-chief of the Ministry of Internal Affairs gave the following figures: 2,984 killed and about 9,000 wounded.
Losses of militants
Losses in the Chechen war (table No. 4):
Civilian casualties
According to official data, as of February 2001, more than a thousand civilians had died. In the book by S. V. Ryazantsev “Demographic and migration portrait North Caucasus"The losses of the parties in the Chechen war are called five thousand people, although we are already talking about 2003.
Judging by the assessment of the organization Amnesty International, which calls itself non-governmental and objective, there were about twenty-five thousand dead among the civilian population. They can count for a long time and diligently, only to the question: "How many actually died in the Chechen war?" - hardly anyone will give an intelligible answer.
Outcomes of the war: peace conditions, restoration of Chechnya
While the Chechen war was going on, the loss of equipment, enterprises, land, any resources and everything else was not even considered, because people always remain the main ones. But then the war ended, Chechnya remained part of Russia, and the need arose to restore the republic from practically ruins.
Enormous money was allocated to Grozny. After several assaults, there were almost no entire buildings left there, and at the moment it is a large and beautiful city.
The economy of the republic was also raised artificially - it was necessary to give time for the population to get used to the new realities, so that new factories and farms were rebuilt. Roads, communication lines, electricity were needed. Today we can say that the republic is almost completely out of the crisis.
Chechen wars: reflection in films, books
Dozens of films have been made based on the events that took place in Chechnya. Many books have been released. Now it is no longer possible to understand where the fiction is, and where the real horrors of war are. The Chechen war (as well as the war in Afghanistan) claimed too many lives and went through a "skating rink" for a whole generation, so it simply could not remain unnoticed. Russia's losses in the Chechen wars are colossal, and, according to some researchers, the losses are even greater than in ten years of war in Afghanistan. Below is a list of films that most deeply show us the tragic events of the Chechen campaigns.
- documentary film from five episodes "Chechen trap";
- "Purgatory";
- "Cursed and forgotten";
- "Prisoner of the Caucasus".
Many fiction and journalistic books describe the events in Chechnya. For example, the now famous writer Zakhar Prilepin, who wrote the novel "Pathology" about this war, fought as part of the Russian troops. Writer and publicist Konstantin Semyonov published a series of stories "Grozny Tales" (about the storming of the city) and the novel "The Motherland Betrayed Us". The storming of Grozny is dedicated to the novel by Vyacheslav Mironov "I was in this war."
Video recordings made in Chechnya by rock musician Yuri Shevchuk are widely known. He and his DDT group performed more than once in Chechnya in front of Russian soldiers in Grozny and at military bases.
Conclusion
The State Council of Chechnya published data showing that between 1991 and 2005 almost one hundred and sixty thousand people died - this figure includes militants, civilians, and Russian soldiers. One hundred sixty thousand.
Even if the figures are overestimated (which is quite likely), the amount of losses is still simply colossal. Russia's losses in the Chechen wars are a terrible memory of the nineties. The old wound will hurt and itch in every family that lost a man there, in the Chechen war.
Chechens are a nation of about 1.7 million people, of which 1.4 million live in Russia, including 1.2 million in Chechnya. Chechen women have always been famous for their modesty, exemplary upbringing, and, of course, beauty.
Day.Az has collected the most beautiful, in our opinion, well-known Chechen women.
Aset Abubakarova- Chechen singer. 
Linda Idrisova- Chechen singer. 
Elbika Jamaldinova(born November 29, 1996, Khasavyurt, Dagestan) - singer. 
Tamila Sagaipova(born December 2, 1993, Grozny) - Chechen singer. Tamila is the younger (half-sister) sister of another Chechen singer, Makka Sagaipova. 
Ilona Bisultanova- Chechen model. 
Zamira Dzhabrailova(born February 8, 1992) - winner of the beauty contests "Beauty of Chechnya 2006" and "Beauty of the North Caucasus 2006", winner of the audience award at the beauty of Russia 2006 contest. 
Kheda Khamzatova- Chechen singer. 
Zarema Irzakhanova- Chechen singer. 
Dilara Surkhaeva- Chechen blues singer. In 2013, she received the ACCA Vainakh Music Award in the "Project of the Year" nomination. 
Tamila Eldarkhanova(born July 27, 1995) is a Chechen dancer and model. 
Amina Khakisheva(born September 4, 1990, Grozny) - TV presenter on the channel "Russia 24", Honored Journalist of the Chechen Republic. 
Makka Sagaipova(born February 14, 1987, Grozny) - Chechen singer and dancer of the Lovzar ensemble. Makka Sagaipova released two albums "I am your daughter - Chechnya" (2004) and "Bezam / Love" (2005), but after marriage, due to the disapproval of her husband's relatives, she was forced to temporarily stop her creative activity. At the end of 2011, Makka Sagaipova returned to singing again. 
On December 11, 1994, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree "On measures to ensure the rule of law, law and order and public safety in the territory of Chechen Republic". The combined grouping of the armed forces of Russia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs entered the territory of Chechnya. Thus began the First Chechen War, the photos of which are waiting for you further.
Despite the fact that officially fighting the Russian army began in December 1994, back in November the first Russian soldiers were captured by the Chechens.
Dudayev's militants pray in front of the Presidential Palace in Grozny
In January 1995, the palace looked like this:
Dudayev's militant with a handicraft submachine gun in early January 1995. In Chechnya in those years they gathered different types weapons, including small arms.
Padded BMP-2 of the Russian army
Prayer against the backdrop of a fire caused by shrapnel falling into a gas pipe
Young gunman
Field commander Shamil Basayev rides in a bus with hostages
On the eve of the new year 1995, the clashes in Grozny were especially cruel. The 131st Maykop motorized rifle brigade lost many soldiers.
The militants fire back from the advancing Russian units.
Children play in the suburbs of Grozny
Chechen fighters in 1995
Minutka Square in Grozny. Evacuation of refugees.
Gennady Troshev at the stadium. Ordzhonikidze in 1995. The lieutenant general led the Joint Group of Forces of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Chechnya, during the Second Chechen War he also commanded Russian troops, then was appointed commander of the North Caucasus Military District. In 2008, he died in a Boeing crash in Perm.
A Russian serviceman plays a piano left in Grozny's central park. February 6, 1995
Intersection of Rosa Luxembourg and Tamanskaya streets
Chechen fighters run for cover
Grozny, view from the Presidential Palace. March 1995
A Chechen sniper who has settled in a destroyed building is aiming at Russian servicemen. 1996
Chechen negotiator enters the neutral zone
Children from the orphanage play on a damaged Russian tank. 1996
An elderly woman makes her way through the ruined center of Grozny. 1996
Chechen militant holding a machine gun while praying
Russian checkpoint near the Council of Ministers, 1995
People left homeless after the bombing of Grozny cook on a fire in the middle of the street
People are fleeing the war zone
The CRI command stated that at the height of the conflict, up to 12 thousand fighters fought for it. Many of them were in fact children who went to war after their relatives.
On the left is a wounded man, on the right is a Chechen teenager in military uniform
By the end of 1995, most of Grozny was a ruin
Anti-Russian demonstration in the center of Grozny in February 1996
A Chechen with a portrait of separatist leader Dzhokhar Dudayev, who was killed in a rocket attack on April 21, 1996
Before the 1996 elections, Yeltsin visited Chechnya and in front of the soldiers signed a decree on the reduction of military service.
Election campaign
On August 19, 1996, the commander of the grouping of Russian troops in Chechnya, Konstantin Pulikovsky, issued an ultimatum to the militants. He suggested that civilians leave Grozny within 48 hours. After this period, the assault on the city was to begin, but the commander was not supported in Moscow, and his plan was thwarted.
On August 31, 1996, agreements were signed in Khasavyurt under which Russia undertook to withdraw troops from the territory of Chechnya, and the decision on the status of the republic was postponed for 5 and a half years. In the photo, General Lebed, who was then the presidential envoy in Chechnya, and Aslan Maskhadov, a field commander, are shaking hands Chechen fighters and the future "president" of the CRI.
Russian soldiers drink champagne in the center of Grozny
Russian soldiers are preparing to be sent home after the signing of the Khasavyurt Accords
According to human rights activists, up to 35,000 civilians died during the First Chechen War.
In Chechnya, the signing of the Khasavyurt agreements was perceived as a victory.
Corpses in the back of a truck in Grozny. Photo: Mikhail Evstafiev
Exactly 23 years ago, on December 11, 1994, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree "On Measures to Ensure Law, Law and Order and Public Security on the Territory of the Chechen Republic." On the same day, units of the Joint Group of Forces (Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Internal Affairs) began hostilities in Chechnya. Maybe some of the participants in the first clashes were mentally prepared for death, but hardly any of them suspected that they would get stuck in this war for almost two years. And then it will come back again.
I would not like to talk about the causes and consequences of the war, about the behavior of the main actors, about the number of losses, about whether it was a civil war or an anti-terrorist operation: hundreds of books have already been written about this. But many photographs must be shown so that you never forget how disgusting any war is.
Russian Mi-8 helicopter shot down by Chechens near Grozny. December 1, 1994 
Photo: Mikhail Evstafiev
Despite the fact that the Russian army officially began hostilities in December 1994, back in November, the first Russian soldiers were captured by the Chechens. 
Photo: AP Photo / Anatoly Maltsev
Dudayev's militants pray in front of the Presidential Palace in Grozny 
Photo: Mikhail Evstafiev
In January 1995, the palace looked like this: 
Photo: Mikhail Evstafiev
Dudayev's militant with a handicraft submachine gun in early January 1995. In Chechnya in those years, various types of weapons were collected, including small arms. 
Photo: Mikhail Evstafiev
Padded BMP-2 of the Russian army 
Photo: Mikhail Evstafiev
Prayer against the backdrop of a fire caused by shrapnel falling into a gas pipe 
Photo: Mikhail Evstafiev
Action 
Photo: Mikhail Evstafiev
Field commander Shamil Basayev rides in a bus with hostages 
Photo: Mikhail Evstafiev
Chechen fighters ambushed a column of Russian armored vehicles 
Photo: AP PHOTO / ROBERT KING
On the eve of the new year 1995, the clashes in Grozny were especially cruel. The 131st Maykop motorized rifle brigade lost many soldiers. 
The militants fire back from the advancing Russian units. 
Photo: AP PHOTO / PETER DEJONG
Children play in the suburbs of Grozny 
AP PHOTO / EFREM LUKATSKY
Chechen fighters in 1995 
Photo: Mikhail Evstafiev / AFP
Photo: Christopher Morris
Minutka Square in Grozny. Evacuation of refugees. 
Gennady Troshev at the stadium. Ordzhonikidze in 1995. The lieutenant general led the Joint Group of Forces of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Chechnya, during the Second Chechen War he also commanded Russian troops, then was appointed commander of the North Caucasus Military District. In 2008, he died in a Boeing crash in Perm. 
A Russian serviceman plays a piano left in Grozny's central park. February 6, 1995 
Photo: Reuters
Intersection of Rosa Luxembourg and Tamanskaya streets 
Photo: Christopher Morris
Chechen fighters run for cover 
Photo: Christopher Morris
Grozny, view from the Presidential Palace. March 1995 
Photo: Christopher Morris
A Chechen sniper who has settled in a destroyed building is aiming at Russian servicemen. 1996 
Photo: James Nachtwey
Chechen negotiator enters the neutral zone 
Photo: James Nachtwey
Children from the orphanage play on a damaged Russian tank. 1996 
Photo: James Nachtwey
An elderly woman makes her way through the ruined center of Grozny. 1996 
Photo: Piotr Andrews
Chechen militant holding a machine gun while praying 
Photo: Piotr Andrews
A wounded soldier in a hospital in Grozny. 1995 
Photo: Piotr Andrews
A woman from the village of Samashki is crying: during the operation of the troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, helicopters or RZSO shot her cows. 
Photo: Piotr Andrews
Russian checkpoint near the Council of Ministers, 1995 
Photo: AP Photo
People left homeless after the bombing of Grozny cook on a fire in the middle of the street 
Photo: AP Photo / Alexander Zemlianichenko
People are fleeing the war zone 
Photo: AP Photo / David Brauchli
The CRI command stated that at the height of the conflict, up to 12 thousand fighters fought for it. Many of them were in fact children who went to war after their relatives. 
Photo: AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky
On the left is a wounded man, on the right is a Chechen teenager in military uniform 
Photo: Christopher Morris
By the end of 1995, most of Grozny was a ruin 
Photo: AP Photo / Mindaugas Kulbis
Anti-Russian demonstration in the center of Grozny in February 1996 
Photo: AP Photo
A Chechen with a portrait of separatist leader Dzhokhar Dudayev, who was killed in a rocket attack on federal troops on April 21, 1996 
Photo: AP Photo
Before the 1996 elections, Yeltsin visited Chechnya and in front of the soldiers signed a decree on the reduction of military service. 
Photo: AP Photo
Election campaign 
Photo: Piotr Andrews
On August 19, 1996, the commander of the grouping of Russian troops in Chechnya, Konstantin Pulikovsky, issued an ultimatum to the militants. He suggested that civilians leave Grozny within 48 hours. After this period, the assault on the city was to begin, but the commander was not supported in Moscow, and his plan was thwarted. 
On August 31, 1996, agreements were signed in Khasavyurt under which Russia undertook to withdraw troops from the territory of Chechnya, and the decision on the status of the republic was postponed for 5 and a half years. In the photo, General Lebed, who was then the presidential envoy in Chechnya, and Aslan Maskhadov, field commander of Chechen fighters and the future "president" of the CRI, are shaking hands. 
Russian soldiers drink champagne in the center of Grozny 
Russian soldiers are preparing to be sent home after the signing of the Khasavyurt Accords 
According to human rights activists, up to 35,000 civilians died during the First Chechen War. 
Photo: AP PHOTO / ROBERT KING
In Chechnya, the signing of the Khasavyurt agreements was perceived as a victory. In fact, that's what she was. 
Photo: AP Photo / Misha Japaridze
The Russian troops left with nothing, losing many soldiers and leaving ruins behind them.
In 1999, the Second Chechen War will begin ...
