Chechnya

1. Chechnya

2. Conflict in Chechnya • The current political scene in Russia and the conflict in Chechnya date back to the events of 1989-1991 • In some former socialist countries the challenge to the Kremlin’s authority brought the collapse of communist party dictatorships followed by democratization (Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland) formidable intelligentsias, popular revolutionary challenges had been rehearsed (1956, 1968, early1980s), common European identity/EU aspirations

3. Russia

4. perestroika • Gorbachev’s perestroika reforms in 1985 shook up bureaucratic apparatus of the Soviet Union by liberating the press and introducing competitive elections  • Popular anti-bureaucratic agitation peaks in 1989candidates in 1989 parliamentary election distance themselves from ruling elite • Dissident intellectuals lack knowledge to run Soviet economy (consisting of large industrial enterprises)The planned economy was falling apart at the seamsrevolutionary situation of 1989-1991 at a stalemate

6. Boris Yeltsin • 1991: Yegor Gaidar convinced the new Russian president, Boris Yeltsin, to employ “shock therapy” and dissolve the Soviet Unionby 1993 the backlash to policies was intensesmall group of very wealthy Russians gained control over key industries • Yeltsin faced with unpopular economic policies felt that a small war might lend his regime a veneer of imperial splendor and patriotism • October 1993: fierce rioting in downtown Moscow put down by tank fireYeltsin fires neoliberal advisorssurrounds himself with “simple tough guys” like General Alexander Korzhakov

7. Factors contributing to war in Chechnya • Historical legacies • Geopolitics • Political instability • Islam • Organized crime

9. Chechnya’s geography • Small  most of the fighting today is taking place in an area 40x70 miles • Varied landscape: snow-capped mountains, densely populated valleys, steppe plains, semi-arid desert • Chechen language has no surviving relatives in the modern world • No prior history of state organization: armed populations, small economic surpluses cannot be appropriated through taxes clans play key role in structuring social interactions

10. Early 1800s • Russian Empire descends on the clan societies of the North Caucasus region “small rock” on the road to Persia and India • In 1818 Russian general Aleksei Yermolov built a fortress in Chechnya and called in Grozny (Fort Terrifying)Chechens tried to burn the fort and we met with artillery fireJihad was launched against the Russian soldiersThe Caucasus war left an indelible imprint on Russia/Russian culture

11. Islam in the 19th century • Islam provided a key mechanism required by a rebellion: A powerful unifying ideology • By 1859 the Russian side offered very comfortable terms to Chechens, the leaders of the rebellion were even given generous pensions by the tsar the peoples of the North Caucasus region were granted substantial autonomy

12. 1917: The Bolshevik revolution • Chechens join with Red Army to rise against “imperial domination” • Reds promised to restore land to Chechen peasants • Chechens dealt severe blow to White army in 1919 • The early Bolshevik transformation produced a new group of modern-educated Chechen specialists and improved overall quality of life (public works, free healthcare and education)

13. 1929-1932 • Chechens resisted forced collectivization

14. 1942

15. 1942 • While a majority of Chechens fight against Nazis some escaped back to their villages and some joined the Germans 1944 one year after the Germans retreat from the North Caucasus Stalin orders wholesale deportation of Chechens and neighboring peoples (500,000 people)25%-33% die on long journey to Central Asia

16. 1957 • Khrushchev allows Chechens to return from exile • The Chechen revolutions in 1991 above all sought to eradicate the humiliations and injustices of the Soviet period

17. 1991 • The Chechen revolution was directly inspired by analogous pro-independence movements in the Baltic republics (roughly same size, distinct ethnic characteristics) • General Dzhokhar Dudayev, who until 1991 served as the commander of a Soviet Strategic Air Force wing, left the military and became a revolutionary leaderconvinced of Chechnya’s potential wealth and geopolitical

18. 1991 Dzhokhar Dudayev

19. Russian fears • Soviet Union contains 15 republics (such as Estonia, Ukrain, Russia—all can theoretically leave the union) Russia itself contains lesser-status autonomous republics and provinces like Chechnya Moscow afraid of “nightmare domino effect” • Moscow proclaims Chechen independence unconstitutional but is suffering from domestic turmoil (shock therapy induced recession, riots) and is not in a position to deal with Dudayev’sregimefor two years (1992 and 1993) Chechnya is caught in limbo

20. Yeltsin, after the failures of the previous two years, desired a decisive victoryadvisors predicted a small war • Volunteers spill into Groznyguns widely availablesmall mobile units organized according to plan formulated by Aslan Maskhadov (former Russian army artillery colonel)spectacular slaughter of Russian forces

21. “One paratroop regiment in two hours” • Aslan Maskhadov

22. Chechnya becomes in effect an independent state • The last Russian forces withdraw • Chechnya becomes in effect an independent state • Aslan Maskhadov is elected president—wartime hero Shamil Basayev appointed prime minister • Chechen fighters never demobilized  • Basayev proves to be incompetent in his civilian jobquits his post and becomes the opposition (attracting hundreds of former fighters) • Basayev uses Islam as an ideological banner: only way to overcome foreign domination and establish moral orderOsama bin Laden provides funding and inspiration

23. 1996 • Shamil Basayev

24. 1997 • Chechnya plunged into chaos • Maskhadov implements sharia law

25. 1999 • Chechnya is state of total war • Vladimir Putin becomes President of Russian Republic launches ferocious war on Chechen terrorists

26. 1999