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Still I have been wondering for a long time why Chechnya continues to fight back when a much wiser strategy would be to make peace and wait for a better oppertunity for independence. Maybe when Russia is fighting a major war or becomes weak.
I can write you previous developments and I hope you can understand me.
Russia have difficult relations with Chechnya during long period of history.
For example, first Chechen war was about 50 years in the XIX century. In this period, Ottoman Empire used Chechnya against Russian influence in the Transcaucasia.
In XIX century Georgia and Armenia request help from Russia (all this country had Orthodox Church as organized religion). If you heard about genocide of Armenian people by Turkey during WW I, that you can understand why it was very important for these nations.
During Second World War German Army was stopped near Chechnya, but in the SS there were special units of Chechens. Diversionary units deliver to the Red Army's rear. Our veterans remember that they more afraid shoots from back then German bullets. In the Second World War main oil fields of USSR were in the Caucasus and before large advance of 1944 part of Chechens was deport to the Kazakhstan. In the 50's year they were come back.
In the 1991 in Chechnya nationalists usurp of power. New Russian Leaders evacuate all units of army, but ALL weapons were abandoned:
~ 100 tanks and armoured troop-carrier,
~ 600 anti-tank units of weapon,
thousands of submachine guns and machine guns.
After several mistakes of politicians, Russian Army was moved into Chechnya "to establish constitutional government".
This war was during 1994-1996 and was finished after infamous peace treaty with separatists.
After second evacuation of Russian Army from Chechnya, for this region start very dark period.
Thousands of Chechens who have good relations with Russia were killed or to run at breakneck pace.
Almost all not-Chechens people should flee from Chechnya.
Just one example, some years ago (after the second war) Russian law-court judge several young Chechens.
They violate and killed more than ten Russian woman and old people who can't leave Chechnya (Russian people live in the Chechnya during several centuries and Chechens historically isn't original nation for this region too).
These criminals were not arrested until they killed Chechen. After start of the Second Chechen War they were free and only now they were arrested and convicted.
In Chechnya was not real power during some years of independence between wars. There were many criminal groups which ones robbed own people and other regions of Russia.
There were many slave-owners. Almost each week some people and soldiers from adjacent regions were grabbed by bands from Chechnya (they used prisoners as slaves and to hold them to ransom).
For example, group of Russian TV journalists, which ones were well-known after reports from Chechnya during first war favourable to separatists were prisoners of bandits during several months (after 1996).
Special representative of president of Russia was grabbed in the airport of capital of Chechnya. Later he died when he try escape.
Each month Russian government transferred pensions to old people in Chechnya, but this money were robbed.
In centre of capital of Chechnya people were killed after verdict of religious court.
Criminal groups built hundreds small oil-factories in Chechnya. Results of it was ecological catastrophe in the Chechnya and Dagestan (adjacent region of Russia).
In Chechnya were built tens of bases of Islamic terrorists from all of the world.
Did you hear about destiny of five engineers from Britain and New Zealand?
They work for company of cellular radiotelephone from Chechnya. They were grabbed and beheaded by one of the bands.
Before the Second Chechen War more than half people who lived in Chechnya in the 1991 were refugees and live in other region of Russia.
All attempts of Russian government to establish good relation with new Leader of Chechnya were unsuccessful, but the Second Chechen War wasn't started by Russia. Very odious Leader of Chechen terrorists (Basaev) and his friend Leader of Arabian terrorists (Hatab) started this war, when their bandits (more then 1000) invade in Dagestan (August,7, 1999).
Dagestan is one of national republics of Russia. There tens on nations in this republic and people are mainly Moslem.
They had very good relations with Chechens during first war, but after this invasion in Dagestan was started raise of militia and many people of
Dagestan fought and died together with Russian soldiers.
During about month large bands from Chechnya invade in different region of Dagestan.
August, 31, 1999 first explosion in Moscow.
September, 4, 1999 one of building in Buynaksk (city in Dagestan) was detonated. 64 people were killed.
September, 9, 1999 first of building in Moscow was detonated. 94 people were killed.
September, 13, 1999 second of building in Moscow was detonated. 118 people were killed.
September, 16, 1999 explosion in Volgodonsk (city in South Russia). 17 people were killed.
September, 30, 1999 Russian Army entered in Chechnya.
I'd like to say that main faults were did by politics from both sides, but results are tragedy for Russian and Chechen people and it isn't good item for discussion in game.
The Fatherland[FIN] wrote:
And on a side note: How many Chechnyans work/live in Moscow and St.Peterburg ?
It's interesting but in this two cities, Chechens more then in the all Chechen cities. There are banks and firms under control of Chechens.
There is delegate in parliament etc. The speaker of Russian parliament in 1991-1993 was Chechen (professor science of law).