With ideological greetings
Movladi Udugov addressed Kommersant readers
Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov dismissed the main ideologist of the republic, Movladi Udugov, for inciting ethnic hatred. In fact, Udugov was the last major oppositionist who agreed to deal with official Grozny. But the Dagestan war changed the balance of power in Chechnya. Maskhadov did not want to deal with the person who irritates Moscow the most. A few days before MOVLADI UDUGOV’s resignation, he answered questions from Kommersant correspondent OLEG Y-POPOV.

— Ever since the Chechen war, most Russian journalists consider you one of the best specialists in PR and, in particular, military propaganda. How do you build your relations with the media?
“During the period of hostilities, we were able to protect the interests of the Chechen people, primarily due to the fact that there were quite a large number of honest journalists in Russia who write and tell the truth, and do not engage in propaganda. And the one who told the truth automatically took a pro-Chechen position. And our relations with journalists have always been smooth and calm. I myself am a journalist by profession, I know the essence of journalism, as they say, I see my brother-in-law from afar.
— Now there is a real information war between the Mujahideen and the Russian authorities. Whose side has the advantage?
— The information that goes to the Russian media is absolutely one hundred percent propaganda at the instigation of the Russian military. And in this regard, the generals have practically no competition. But the trouble is that this propaganda has the completely opposite effect. Russian political leaders and military officials daily announce from television screens that hundreds and even thousands of Mujahideen have been killed and wounded. But in reality the losses are ten times less. If it were different, then all of Chechnya would be shocked by the arriving coffins. In addition, not a single hospital in the republic is able to accommodate such a number of wounded. Soon everything that is said on television will be perceived by the public as exactly the opposite. This applies to war and everything else. The Russian military and government have done a very disservice to the Russian media, especially television. Having turned into a propaganda body, they are forced to convey lies and thereby undermine their authority.
As for the information coming from the Dagestan mujahideen, here in Chechnya we are more inclined to trust it, because we have specific materials and send journalists to the mujahideen. The video footage was shown on Chechen television. As you know, it is impossible to send our reporters to Russian positions, because they will either be killed or arrested.
“A few days ago, information was spread about the injury and even death of Khattab and his translators.
“This is, of course, deliberate disinformation from the field of so-called special propaganda, which is used by the Russian military and intelligence services. They showed pictures of Khattab with a bandaged hand and reported that he was wounded. But everyone knows: Khattab does not have his right hand, which he lost 15 years ago in Afghanistan. And he doesn't need translators. Khattab speaks excellent Russian.
— Please tell us about the Internet site “Caucasus”. Who created it, who posts the information there?
— This private site was created by young guys in March of this year. The information is presented there very objectively, including with reference to Russian media.
— What contribution do you personally make to the information campaign of the Mujahideen?
“I’ll explain right away so that there is no ambiguity.” We in Chechnya unconditionally support the aspirations of every people, including the Dagestan people, who are fighting with arms in their hands for their independence. The Dagestan mujahideen have their own information structure, headed by the writer Magomed Tagaev. We are trying to disseminate his information through the means that we have.
I now head the National Center for Strategic Research. We make relevant analytical calculations and distribute them to everyone. We do not sell them, we do not make them from this product. The main thing is that all information from the Caucasus is objective. Even if it is extremely difficult for one of the parties. But only objective information allows you to make the right decisions. This is what we are starting from.
Read about the events behind Udugov’s resignation on page 3.

Newspaper "Kommersant" No. 156 dated 08/31/1999, p. 1