The First Chechen War 1994-1996 (Chechnya: How Russia Lost)

FREEDOM FIGHTERS

The First Chechen War also known as the War in Chechnya was fought between Russia and Chechnya from 1994 to 1996 and resulted in Chechnya's de facto independence from Russia as the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.

After the initial campaign of 1994--1995, culminating in the devastating Battle of Grozny, Russian federal forces attempted to control the mountainous area of Chechnya but were set back by Chechen guerrilla warfare and raids on the flatlands in spite of Russia's overwhelming manpower, weaponry, and air support. The resulting widespread demoralization of federal forces, and the almost universal opposition of the Russian public to the brutal conflict, led Boris Yeltsin's government to declare a ceasefire in 1996 and sign a peace treaty a year later.

The official figure for Russian military losses is 5,500, while most estimates put the number between 3,500 and 7,500, one as high as 14,000.[5] Although there are no accurate figures for the number of Chechen militants killed, the official Russian estimate puts the number at about 15,000. Chechen separatists claim no more than 3,000. Various figures estimate the number of civilian deaths between 50,000 - 100,000, and over 200,000 injured. More than 500,000 persons were displaced by the conflict,[6] as cities and villages across the republic were left in ruins.