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1. Chechnya (Ichkeria) and the problem of the Caucasus
2. A Caucasian mountain people not related to the Russians
Religion: Sufi Islam
Mostly inhabitants of the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation
Approx 1,350,000 Chechens +400,000 Russians Who are the Chechens?
6. Why part of Russia? Gradual expansion of Russian Empire as Ottoman Empire and Persia declined.
1801 Georgia annexed by Russia
War with Chechens continued until 1859, when the leader Shamil (1797-1871) was captured, Chechnya finally subdued.
7. Several revolts against Russian/Soviet control
23 February 1944 Mass deportation to Kazakhstan on Stalin’s orders.
Chechens replaced with Russian population
(Other deported nationalities: Volga Germans, Crimean Tartars)
1956 Khrushchev allows Chechens to return to Chechnya Chechens in the 20th Century
8.
Former Soviet general Dzhokhar Dudaev declares independence of Republic of Ichkeria (Chechnya)
1994 Terrorist acts outside Chechnya in Mineralnye vody
November 1994 Eltsin orders Russian troops to establish control over Chechnya 1991 Chechen Independence
9. Russian troops take huge losses trying to capture Grozny
21 April 1996 Dudaev killed by Russian missile while talking on cellphone
August 1996 Alexander Lebedev, representing Russian Federation, signs treaty with separatists, giving Chechnya de facto independence, but leaving official status open
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDoBKlCU6Ss&feature=related
1994-1996 First Chechen War
10. 1996-1999 Chechen chaos 1997 Aslan Maskhadov elected President of Chechnya
Battles between different warring factions inside Chechnya
Shamil Basayev (right) leads raids into other regions of Russian Federation, esp. neighbouring Dagestan
Seeks a caliphate in the South of Russia from the Caspian to the Black Sea.
11. 7 August – 14 September 1999 Basayev leads Chechen incursions into Dagestan
9 August 1999 Boris Eltsin names Vladimir Putin Prime Minister.
Putin’s famous remark: “we’ll squash them in the outhouse.”
25 August Russian air-force bombards positions in Chechnya
4-16 September: explosions in apartment buildings in Moscow and elsewhere, claimed by Basayev
23 September Russian air bombardment of Grozny begins
30 September Russian armored units enter Chechnya 2nd Chechen War
12. Chechen groups under Basayev respond to Russian invasion with acts of terror
23-26 September 2002 terrorist act in Moscow in Theatre on the Dubrovka: 44 terrorists and 129 hostages killed
1-3 September 2004 inBeslan, Northern Ossetia massacre over 350 killed.
8 March 2005 Aslan Maskhadov killed.
10 July 2006 Basayev killed. Chechnya during the war
13. Khattab b. Saudi Arabia
Arab father and Circassian mother
Fought for mujahideen in Chechen wars
Associate of Basayev
1998 began incursions into Dagestan
Killed in March 2002
14. Chechnya post-war 5 October 2003 Imam Akhmat Kadyrov elected President of Chechnya
9 May 2004 killed at football stadium; Basayev claims responsibility
2007 Ramzat Kadyrov (b. 1976) elected president of Chechen Republic
Kadyrov takes strongly pro-Islam position
15. Chechnya Today 2009 State of Emergency lifted Kadyrov’s policy of autonomy within the RF Muslim values reinforced Builds “one of largest mosques in Europe” named after father