The causes, course and lessons of the First Chechen war

At present in Russian society observed two opposite trends that are supported by the authorities: on the one hand, the state attempts to create a supra-national identity on the other - supports projects that create an exclusively national identity and/or religious. Unfortunately, our society has not yet come to the realization that their efforts to create a purely national and/or identity in a multiethnic country lead to tragic consequences. And a vivid example of this is the Chechen war.

According to the Decree of the president, on November the 1st, 1991, the Chechen republic has gained the state sovereignty that meant a possibility of her real secession of the Russian Federation. However this decision wasn't realized. In 1992 power has been seized by Dudaev who has gained considerable popularity among the people by then. Dudaev had the following purposes:

• -    To restore the Mountain republic to the uniform country uniting all people of the Caucasus;

• -    To approve independence of Chechnya;

Thanks to these slogans Dudaev won an arrangement of the people. Various regional groups even more often started to clash with the beginning of reorganization in the republic among themselves. However in three years of government of Dudaev Chechnya was incredibly criminalized. Such bodies as militia, courts and prosecutor's office have stopped the existence that have caused rise in crime. The republic has turned into a nursery and the exporter of criminal elements practically each region of the country. It is made about 42% among the total number of criminals inhabitants of Chechnya. After the collapse of the USSR and gradual office from him of the republics, the Chechen republic has also declared the desire to leave a structure of the Russian Federation. Yeltsin made the decision to eliminate a criminal regime of Dudaev, to disarm and detain bandits, to strengthen thereby the position of the Kremlin elite. However the Russian government didn't expect so fierce resistance from the Chechen people which apprehended invasion of the Russian troops on the territory as attempt of enslavement, infringement of natural riches. It is necessary to assume that the huge role in formation of negative attitude of Chechens to the Russian operation was played also by "a syndrome of deportation of 1944" when, as a result of eviction of Chechens from the native land, for hunger, cold and diseases the most part of people died.

Proceeding from the listed circumstances and the facts, it is possible to allocate the main reasons for the First Chechen war:

• -    Criminal regime of Dudaev.

• -    The solution of the republic to leave structure of the Russian Federation;

• -    Aspiration of radical groups to create the Islamic state;

• -    Oil" interests;

Introduction of the Russian troops on the territory of the Chechen republic has been apprehended as invasion. Therefore Dudaev was adjoined also by those who clashed with him, opposition.

There were many warehouses that have provided army of fighters after the collapse of the USSR in the territory of Chechen. They also had the established relations on delivery of the weapon.

Unfortunately, it is necessary to say that the Russian military has strongly underestimated the number of fighters of Dudaev. It made about 20 thousand people for the beginning of war.

We can't be emotional in this work, but it is necessary to say that military operations in Chechnya steel for the Russian army accident. In particular there was unsuccessful an operation of storm of Grozny as a result of which the Russian troops have lost its most part from the being available 250 units of armored machinery. Except losses of equipment, hundreds of Russian soldiers have died, many servicemen were taken prisoner.

The Russian troops suffered such failures, mainly, as a result of the wrong organization by the state of material, political and moral, their information support.

In general, escalation of military operations is divided into 3 stages:

• -    Efforts of the parties are concentrated in fight for Grozny in the territory of the city and nearby areas.

• -    Distribution of military operations in fight for Grozny across all territory of the republic.

• -    Conducting combat operations to mountains, river valleys, gorges, villages.

When war has begun, many inhabitants of Chechnya and nearby areas have been forced to leave the houses. The left cities and villages have turned into defense knots where heavy fighting was conducted. At the beginning of summer of 1995 the Russian forces have achieved establishment of control of flat and mountainous areas of Chechnya. There have taken place negotiations where the truce has been concluded and date of democratic elections is appointed. Fighters have resumed military operations again, having conducted a terrorist attack in Kizlyar, in 1996.

War has been continued. But in April, 1996 has been successfully found by the Russian military and Dudaev's train is right there destroyed by aircraft. The remains of separatists have agreed to repeated negotiations which result were Khasavyurt agreements.

As Ramzan Kadyrov has noted, the First Chechen war played the significant role in incitement of the checheno-Russian conflict by artful intentions of the West, and any movie about war couldn't transfer that fear and panic among the population which the Chechen people had to endure. Upon termination of war of OGV by headquarters losses in the First Chechen war have been published: It is killed — 4 103 persons. Were missing — 1 231 person. Wounded — 19 794 persons. There were 80 000 citizens killed among the civilian population of Chechnya. There are terrible figures.

On August the 1st, 1996 the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation A. Lebed and the chief of headquarters of fighters of the Chechen republic Aslan Maskhadov in the city of Khasavyurt have signed the document which has put an end to war. Chechnya has de facto found independence, however the new state wasn't recognized practically by any country of the world including

Russia. After withdrawal of the Russian troops from the territory of the republic, in Chechnya the intermilitary crisis shown in the destroyed houses and villages which weren't restored ethnic cleanings as a result of which have been killed, has burst or practically all representatives of the non Chechen nationalities ran. According to the contract Russia has been obliged to disengage the troops from Chechnya, however, has been decided to postpone a question of the status of the republic for five years.

During negotiation and signing of agreements by Russia the aspiration stopped escalation of the conflict and to solve the created problems peacefully has been shown. However, it should be noted that these agreements promoted return of the Chechen republic to an uncontrolled, criminal way of life. This situation managed to be corrected only after the subsequent introduction of troops. Khasavyurt agreements continued to be observed by the parties till 1999 when the Chechen armed forces have intruded in Dagestan, having provoked the beginning of the second Chechen campaign.

The first Chechen war is the terrible accident which has comprehended Russia at a boundary of the birth of the new country and a new era. The Chechen war became "baptism of fire" for the Russian army which has paid dearly for the experience got in this company. She – war - has demonstrated to us what terrible consequences conducts religious radicalism and incitement of ethnic strife. The Chechen war has brought a lot of grief to innocent, simple inhabitants of Chechnya, whatever nationality they were. This war has taught Russia to the fact that preservation of national unity, the principle of mutual respect of all people of Russia which are actual policy today - a priority task for such multinational state as the Russian Federation.

In conclusion, I would like to say that, the most important historical lesson, which is to extract our country from the tragic experience of the Chechen War is the understanding that in modern conditions the main socio-political task of Russian authorities is the formation of a supranational identity. Considering multinational structure of Russia, attempt of planting of the dominating national identity in the absence of the state, supranational identity can lead to new fratricidal wars to the conflicts.