The Chechen Conflict

1. COUNTRY BACKGROUND

Chechen republic is located in North-East part of Caucasus. The republic has the common borders with Republic of Ingushetia, Republic North Osetiya Alaniya, with Stavropolskiy Kray of Russia, Dagestan and Republic of Georgia. Oil is the main resource of Chechnya and its product stock evaluates in 50 million tons.

In 2005 the population size of Chechnya was 1 1414 000. More than three-quarters of Chechens population are lived in rural areas. The most significant population are Chechens (93,5 %), Russians, Cumycs, Avars, Nogays, Ingushs are presented also.

In 1 November 1991 Chechen Republic proclaimed its sovereignty and independency. However its independent status is not recognized neither by world community
Frequently calls as “First Chechen War”, the conflict was officially named by Russian government as “measures on maintenance of public order”. The previous events and conflict itself are characterized by huge losses in killed and wounded among civil population, military forces and law-enforcement agencies. It also leads to stampede of Russians and other nations from Chechnya.

In spite of some military progress of Russian forces, the conflict results in withdrawal of Federal troops from Chechnya, the ravages of war and losses from both sides; Independence of Chechnya de-facto until the second phase of the conflict and many terrorist acts in Russia.

This work contains the analysis of the First Chechen War 1994-1996, factors which unleash the war and its consequences. The analysis bases on theory of Sean Byrne and Neal Carter Six Social Forces of Ethnoterritorial Politics, proposes six ethnic “variables,” which they label as “socio-cubism” and that constitute a potent basis of ethnicity:

1)
The terrorist gangs and formations met with Chechen government support.

From the very beginning of his governing Dudaev did not deny the possibility of “applying of “terroristic acts” against Russia as a possible option for Chechens” . The official state support to terrorists had been demonstrated by Dudaev’s government after hijacking of Russian aircraft in 1991 when after return three hijackers were greeted as “national heroes”. Two terrorist acts took place in Russian city Mineralnie Vodi and preceded the Russian invasion in 1994 as a response to terrorist actions.

With the lapse of time terrorist acts had grown significantly both in frequency and human casualties. Besides “Holy war against infidels” terrorist groups practiced kidnapping (including kidnapping of Chechen people) which consisted their financial source along with donations from international terrorist organizations. However this fact does not allow consider them as “warlords” because they were under the control of official authorities and pursued the general objective – “Jihad” as a way to defend the independence of Chechen