| Year |
Political/Military events |
Terror events |
| 1990 |
|
Chechen separatists hijack Russian Tu-154 |
| 1991 |
Local communist governor is ousted.
Soviet general Dzhokhar Dudayev
declares Chechnya independent.
Russia rejects this claim,
but lets Dudayev rule. |
Two more planes hijacked |
| 1994 |
Russian president Boris Yeltsin sends
troops.
They meet strong resistance.
Soviet general Dzhokhar Dudayev
declares Chechnya independent.
Russia rejects this claim,
but lets Dudayev rule. |
|
| 1995 |
Separatists abandon capital city Grozny.
Grozny is largely destroyed. |
Over 100 die in hostage crisis in
Budyonnovsk, Russia. |
| 1996 |
Yeltsin admits Chechen campaign is a
"mistake" but rules out withdrawl.
General Dudayev killed in rocket
attack, replaced by Zelimkhan
Yandarbiyev.
Yeltsin and Yandarbiyev agree on truce.
Chechen rebels seize Grozny.
Russian General Aleksandr Lebed signs
a truce deferring sovereignty 5 years.
Alsan Maskhadov, former leader of
rebel forces, becomes interim prime
minister.
|
Dozens die in hostage crisis in
Kizlyar, Russia. |
| 1997 |
Last Russian troops leave.
Maskhadov elected president.
Peace accord is signed, but Russia says
Chechnya must remain part of Russian
Federation.
|
Two Russian journalists seized in Chechnya,
first in long series of abductions
for ransom. |
| 1998 |
Chechen warlords demand Maskhadov quit,
calling him "too conciliatory". |
Around this time, groups like Sakhina
Security Services begin openly
advertising on the Internet,
seeking "fighters for Jihad in
Chechnya".
Schoolroom training in the UK,
supposedly followed by firearms
training in the western U.S.,
then shipment to Chechnya and/or
Afghanistan.
|
| 1999 |
Maskhadov narrowly escapes assassination.
Russian army invades (again). |
|
| 2000 |
Russians take Grozny (again).
Moscow announces end of military
operations in Chechnya.
Attacks on Russian army increase
New Russian President Vladimir Putin
announces Chechnya is under "direct
presidential rule". |
|
| 2002 |
Moscow no longer recognizes Maskhadov
as Chechen president.
Two Russian military transport
helicopters are downed by rebels.
First kills two generals
and 12 soldiers, second kills 121. |
Group of 50 Chechen militants smuggles
rifles and mines into Moscow.
Seizes theatre with 850 hostages.
118 hostages are killed. |
As this conflict heated up since the fall of 1999,
more sites came on line supporting both sides.
Note that many ``Chechen supporters'' are
