Chechnya of the victorious Putin

15 years ago, the Second Chechen War began, called the "counter -terrorist operation in the North Caucasus"

September 30, 1999, fifteen years ago, tank units of the Russian army entered the territory of Chechnya. This day is considered the outbreak of the Second Chechen War , which was officially called Moscow by the "counter -terrorist operation (some) in the North Caucasus." Active hostilities in the republic continued in 1999 and 2000, but officially the regime of who was canceled only in April 2009.

On September 23, 1999, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree "On measures to increase the efficiency of counter-terrorism operations in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation", which provided for the creation of a united group of troops in the North Caucasus. On the same day, September 23, Russian aviation bombed Grozny, and on September 30, a ground operation began: the tank units of the Russian army entered the territory of the Naursky and Silkovsky districts of Chechnya.

Terrible. May 1999

By this time, the fighting in the North Caucasus had been going on for more than a month - they began after an invasion of armed groups under the leadership of Shamil Basayev and Hattaba . The federal authorities accused the president of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Aslan Maskhadov of inability to control the situation. Vladimir Putin, who then held the position of chairman of the government, said that if the Chechen leadership cannot prevent the transition of gang groups across the Border of Chechnya, then "experts will offer their funds."

Russian military equipment in the Naursky district of Chechnya. October 1999

In early September , residential buildings were blown up in Moscow, Buinaksk and Volgodonsk, as a result of which more than 300 people were killed and more than 1,700 were injured. The official investigation found the so -called "Caucasian" trace in what happened, which untied the hands of the Russian authorities for the Second Chechen War, the strategic goals of which was formulated by Vladimir Putin. According to him, it was necessary to put a barrier to international terrorism, which penetrated Chechnya, to prevent the decay of Russia, as well as to protect the Chechen population, which became a victim of local separatist and extremist band formations.

There are still no exact data on losses during this war . According to the official statistics of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for 2010, for the period from 1999 to 2008, 3684 troops were killed in the North Caucasus, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, more than 2 thousand internal troops were killed. According to estimates by the Union of Committee of the Soldiers' Mothers of Russia, official data is at least double. The losses among the civilian population, according to official information for February 2001, were a thousand people, however, according to the human rights organization of Amnesty International, up to 25 thousand civilians died in the war.

Chechen militants at the festival in honor of Aslan Maskhadov

Tatyana Lokshina, head of the Russian branch of human rights organization Human Rights Watch, recalls large -scale human rights violations during this war. According to her, it took place in Chechnya in the first years of the war, can be considered "absolute lawlessness":

- The crimes that were committed during the Second Chechen War can be talked for hours. Human rights were systematic, they reached the level of crimes against humanity, the scope of these violations was completely monstrous. For the Second Chechen War in the republic, from 3 to 5 thousand people, as a result of abductions, disappeared without a trace. Hundreds of relatives filed complaints with the European Court, desperate to achieve justice at the national level. Many won these complaints and even received compensation after recognizing violations by the government. But these people did not apply to the European court for compensation, not for money - they needed information about what exactly happened to their sons, with their brothers.

About the crimes that were committed during the Chechen war, we can talk for hours

Now many years have passed, and this information is still not. Of course, these families understand that their relatives were killed, but still some kind of light of hope is warm. Their life is truly unbearable, because they cannot even say goodbye to their family, they cannot bury them. The human rights center "Memorial" compiled and published many volumes on violations, documented directly only by them. What happened in Chechnya in the first years of a military campaign can be characterized as absolute lawlessness. Who are the "disappeared"? These are not people who left the house and "lost" them. The disappeared are people who were taken by the military, law enforcement officers, and whom no one had seen alive later. In this situation, there is a presumption that if the last time they were seen alive in the hands of law enforcement officers, then their disappearance occurred as a result of law enforcement officers. So war cannot be waged, so a counter -terrorist operation cannot be carried out. This does not comply with Russian law, this does not comply with international law. People should not "disappear," says Tatyana Lokshina .

"Stripping" in the Chechen village in the Shatoysky district. 2000

In April 2000, the end of the military unit of the counter -terrorism operation in Chechnya and the transition to special operations was announced. Losses of militants were estimated at 14 thousand people. In such a “point” format, the counter -terrorism operation lasted another nine years. Only in April 2009, on behalf of Dmitry Medvedev, the counter -terrorist operation in Chechnya was canceled. Tatyana Lokshina notes that so far, despite the fact that the fighting in the region is now underway, the situation with human rights remains tense:

- Now there is no war in Chechnya. Grozny, in which we all went and remembered for years as a "ghost city", is now rebuilt. In appearance it is a beautiful city. But in fact, now Chechnya exists as a kind of enclave, which is outside the Russian legal field and obey only one laws - the laws that the head of the republic Ramzan Kadyrov dictates directly.

Chechnya exists as a kind of enclave, which is outside the Russian legal field and obey only one laws - the laws that the head of the republic Ramzan Kadyrov dictates directly

In Chechnya, they continue to kidnap people. This is not the employees of federal law enforcement agencies, not federal military, but Chechen law enforcement agencies, controlled by the fact and directly Kadyrov. Of course, the scale of the abductions is not the same, I am not trying to compare the current situation with the absolute nightmare that took place in the two thousandths, but in Chechnya they continue to abduct people, in Chechnya they continue to torture people. And this happens in absolutely impunity, ” Tatyana Lokshina notes.

Political scientist Alexei Malashenko recalls that the Second Chechen War was aimed at strengthening the positions of the Russian authorities:

The surroundings of Gudermes. Spring of 2000

-Firstly, the second Chechen war was instrumental for the Russian government. She was even more instrumental than the first, because she was supposed to be consolidated in Putin's power. When we are talking about the "little victorious war", then this is the same. Just as today the conflict with Ukraine is used to strengthen the authorities, then the Second Chechen War worked for this.

Just as today the conflict with Ukraine is used to strengthen power, then the Second Chechen War worked for this

Secondly, it seems to me that the Second Chechen War was more civilian. The Chechens also fought among themselves, and, moreover, quite actively. There was a confrontation between the clans, and the competition of ideologies within the Chechen society was also outlined. Someone believed that a secular independent state could be created. Someone believed that it was still necessary to stay with Russia. And someone approved the possibility of creating an Islamic state. And the Islamic factor is closely connected with this. In the first war, of course, he was, but he stayed aside. In the second war, he was very noticeable. You can call several people who defended Sharia who really dreamed of creating an Islamic state. But in fact, most of the Chechen society opposed total Islamization, I remember this very well, I myself visited that war, and the first too. It was visible.

According to Alexei Malashenko , unlike the First Chechen War, which in 1996 ended with the Khasavyurt agreements and the transfer of the issue of Chechnya’s status for five years in advance, the second Chechen war ended with the complete victory of the Kremlin:

Ramzan Kadyrov at the Republican Festival. April 2014

- The first war did not actually end. The agreement in Khasavyurt was an intermediate stage, some election scrap from Moscow. It was impossible to talk about any victory there, and many even believe that this was a defeat. Here is Putin’s unambiguous victory. Moreover, this victory is not only military, but also political, because in Chechnya it was possible to find the clan that could represent the interests of the Kremlin and make some kind of “restoration”. Naturally, I mean the Kadyrovs. And the father, Akhmat-Haji, who, despite his criticism and rejection by very many in Chechnya and in Moscow, from my point of view, was a very talented and very interesting person. And Ramzan, who in his own way is “outstanding,” said political analyst Alexei Malashenko .

About what life was in Chechnya until September 1999, and what it became after, recalls the observer of the North Caucasian Radio Service, who worked in the late 90s a correspondent in Chechnya, Hasin Raduev :

- The second Chechen war is perceived primarily as terrible violence and cruelty that all sides showed. How can this monstrous violence be explained?

- If we compare it with the first Chechen war, then perhaps those events that took place between these two wars were radically different from how Chechnya lived before the first war. In the early 90s we still lived "in the same country", although this country fell apart. Nevertheless, we all had the same mentality. In general, then it was even strange to speak and think that there was a war on the territory of almost the USSR!

Grozny in February 2000

- Is it possible to say that both the first and second were precisely civil wars, where opponents spoke, in general, in the same language, in the territory of one former state called the USSR? And civil wars are always the most cruel.

- Yes. It was just from the state to be involved regular armed forces, and the “Chechen militia”, or “resistance forces”, were only a kind of army. In fact, Chechnya had no army. Nevertheless, the weapon shot, it was the same for both of them. We all went through the Soviet Army ... So, before the Second Chechen war, Antichenian propaganda was of great importance. In Moscow, they talked about "revenge", that Russia had lost before, and now "we had to prove that the Russian soldier is still invincible," and so on, and so on. On the other hand, there was no special resistance, which was during the first war in Chechnya. Many who could leave to leave, tried to do it. And those who remained for one reason or another tried to resist together, find places where one could somehow defend themselves from the advancing troops.

- What were the first days and weeks of that war for everyone who at that moment was inside Chechnya: for the units of this "militia", for ordinary residents?

- Most of all I did not want a new war, because people were tired of these wars, from devastation. Terrible lay in ruins. Many people did not have minimal normal living conditions. Actually, this was not foreseen in the then foreseeable future, judging by the fact that it was impossible to purchase something in Chechnya, even if you had money. The first feeling was the reluctance to be drawn into this war again. On the other hand, there was some hope that the troops would stop at some stage, and a certain pressure of a political nature would begin to influence internal processes, bring them to such paths when it would be possible to establish an internal dialogue and create at least a semblance of a controlled territory, which was not at that moment in Chechnya.

Russian troops in the Argun Gorge. Winter in 2000

- And what was life in the household, in everyday sense in Chechnya until September 1999?

- It was hard. But people did not sit back. Even during the war, when Russian troops passed through some village, people returned and quickly tried to establish their life there. But it was very poorly lived, in fact, because there was neither work nor the opportunity to even move freely. It was already a post -war life. Even the presence of some money that spun inside Chechnya did not allow people to do a big business in a little less. Still, people in many ways somehow existed thanks to humanitarian organizations. But you remember how, after a series of murders of representatives of foreign humanitarian organizations, they all left the republic. In fact, the situation was tragic. Nevertheless, I did not want the war.

In fact, the situation was tragic. Nevertheless, I did not want a war

I want to tell one story. One of my friends with whom we studied at school decided to build a house. Each time, passing by, I stopped, and he told at what stage the work is, how he does everything, what brick buys, where he earns money. And in September, the bombing of the territory controlled by Khattab began nearby. After the first bombardment, I felt that "something was wrong." Because air attacks went to the area where this guy built his house. When I arrived the next time, he already died. Until recently, no war was mentioned at all, but he repeated: "I will build a house with a large basement so that the next war can be wait." And he actually managed to! At the moment when the bombers once again flew, he managed to hide his family there. And when he literally closed the door, fragments from the bomb hit him in the back, and he was killed. And there were many such tragedies. So, when they say that the Russian pilots were mistaken, etc. I’m talking about what he saw and understood: “mistaken” to such an extent that it is impossible to accept a small settlement for the base of the militants. This showed the fierceness with which the Russian army entered Chechnya during the Second Chechen War.

The Chechen village near Grozny, destroyed by air raid. December 1999

-And how did the republic, as an independent or semi-dependent state education of Chechnya until September 1999, represented at least something? Or was it a completely “twilight zone” captured by bandits, but on which, unfortunately, there were many peaceful, nothing innocent people?

-There was a little hope for the normalization of life, because there were some plans for the restoration of the republic at the moment when "the pendulum stopped in the middle." He could swing anywhere, but in the end he began to move in a very bad side. Once I needed to meet a colleague on the border with Ingushetia. I went there literally three months before the war. It was very dangerous! I felt a danger emanating from these unnoticed armed groups. They killed, robbed, selected cars on the roads, in general, bandits! Jack London has a lot about how wolves pursue a person. How they are approaching. And, in the end, as he with some club remains with them alone, surrounded. There was a feeling that this "wall of fear" is approaching almost your house. And then no clearance was seen.

- How could these diverse armed groups, who subordinate to anyone, could exist inside the Chechen society, where, by and large, if not every person knows each other, but every teip and every village certainly know everything about each other?

Wedding in Chechnya. 1998

- What you are talking about, really in rural areas, maybe not 100 percent, but very close to this. In cities, in Grozny, in Argun, in Hudermmes, a much more mixed situation, and these ancient traditions did not work. I well remember the state of things when this quarter of the Grozny, for example, occupied one field commander, there he put his checkpoints, and this quarter was someone else. It was funny in its own way. The central government could not act in any way, because it itself consisted of these people! As such, there was no controllability in Chechnya. And as a result, people who were ready to defend the very sovereignty who was as if during the first war were won, in fact, left. Many did not participate in the future.

- The second Chechen war and mass war crimes committed by all sides, and militants, and Russian military personnel, which is now very well known, how they changed the consciousness of the Chechens?

- I myself ask this question to those people who are now engaged in Chechnya, who are there as human rights activists, employees of humanitarian organizations. Хорошо сказал председатель нижегородского "Комитета против пыток" Игорь Каляпин: нет чеченского общества! Оно полностью деградировало. I agree with this. Война, на самом деле, очень сильно повлияла на чеченцев, и они живут этой болью. Если кто-то говорит, что, мол, это было давно, 15 лет назад, я ничего не помню, и так далее – нет, я не верю. Для чеченцев это – недалекая история, она – сегодняшний день. Эти войны, конечно, изменили чеченцев, и они никогда не станут теми, кем были. И в этом самая большая трагедия.

Если кто-то говорит, что, мол, это было давно, 15 лет назад, я ничего не помню, и так далее – нет, я не верю

– Тот режим, который существует в Чечне сегодня, власть Рамзана Кадырова – это закономерность? Или могла бы появиться какая-либо альтернатива?

– Даже между войнами многие чеченцы были уверены, что когда к власти придут люди не воевавшие, тогда будет полегче. Нечто такое ожидалось и после второй войны. Если бы хотя бы через 10 лет была бы образована власть, не основанная на крови, на костях, возможно, люди бы жили по-другому. Но в данном случае именно то, что сейчас существует, и дает нам повод сказать, что "чеченский вопрос" не решен. И это тоже большая тревога для каждого чеченца. Потому что опять это может привести к новому конфликту.

– Я правильно вас понимаю, что чеченцы живут с ощущением, что под ними заложена некая бомба, и фитиль тлеет, тлеет… И однажды дотлеет опять?

Акция женщин-родственниц "пропавших без вести" в Чечне. Our days

– Что для человека очень важно, помимо всяких обыденных вещей? Freedom of speech. Иметь возможность что-то сказать. Говорить свободно о том, что чувствуешь, что хотел бы. Если этого нет, то ничего хорошего быть не может. Что-то другое должно прийти. И вот это "другое" будет ли нормальным или опять случится трагедия? Этого сегодня в Чечне никто не знает, – рассказывает обозреватель Северокавказской службы Радио Свобода Хасин Радуев .

В сентябре 2014 года Аналитический центр Юрия Левады организовал опрос об отношении россиян ко второй чеченской войне . По полученным данным, 35 процентов респондентов уверены, что цели этой войны были реализованы частично. Более 20 процентов опрошенных заявили, что считают войну бесполезной. И лишь каждый пятый опрошенный думает, что "цели войны, которые ставило руководство России, были полностью достигнуты". Их число, отмечают в "Левада-центре", за последние пять лет выросло вдвое.