Chechen Republic of Ichkeria: Yeltsin
Many Western leaders have praised Boris Yeltsin's role in the largely peaceful demise of the Soviet Union and
Few of them have chosen to focus on the consequences of his decision to send the Russian army into the
In the event, Mr Yeltsin's war on
Tens of thousands of civilians were killed;
[…] The decision to use force was strongly backed by Defence Minister Pavel Grachev, as well as many other figures within and close to the Russian government.
This included those identified as pro-Western reformists, such as Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev.
Indiscriminate slaughter
The Russian army was not capable of fighting the war. It was demoralised, short of money and weaponry.
Virtually untrained conscripts were sent into battle, using World War II tactics unsuited to modern urban guerrilla warfare.
The result was indiscriminate slaughter.
Serious human rights violations, including torture and summary executions, were commonplace.
Crucially, both Russian and foreign journalists were allowed to work in
And yet it all ended in failure.
Eventually, the Chechen rebel forces recaptured the shattered capital,
It was widely seen as a national humiliation, sealing
Tactics change
Yet
President Vladimir Putin's ascent to power; his determination to re-assert the "might" of the Russian state; and the centralised, tight system of power he has prevailed over; have their roots in the defeat.
In August 1999, public opinion in
During its three years of relative independence,
Mr Putin adopted very different tactics.
The army would receive anything it needed. Journalists would be prevented from working freely in
The second Chechen war,
The killings did not end; nor did attacks on Russian civilians.
But Mr Putin, unlike his predecessor, had an idea of the end-game.
Termed "Chechenisation", it centred on finding ethnic Chechens, who would be both loyal to
President Ramzan Kadyrov is now that loyal, unchallenged administrator.
Human rights groups say he rules by fear, using a private militia to control a cowed population.