During the past several weeks Russian military tactics in
Chechnya shifted from defensive operations to a preparation for a full-scale
invasion of the republic. I decided to make this page about military
operations in Chechnya because of the increasingly more prominent role
played by the Russian Air Force. Latest unofficial information about the
tactics employed by the Russian Air Force suggests that the main goal of
Russian aviation is to drive civilian population from Chechnya in
preparation for a massive assault by the ground forces. In the recent
statements (Sept. the 28th of 1999) Russian Prime Minister announced that
all refugees from Chechnya will be treated as Russian citizens. Russian
government announced on Sept. 29 that there is no need for international
humanitarian help and that its own Ministry of Emergency Situations will be
able to handle the flood of refuges from Chechnya. During the period from
Sept. 24 to Sept. 28 approximately 60,000 refugees from Chechnya crossed the
administrative border Ingushetia, which is a part of the Russian Federation.
Russian Air Force plans to intensify its bombing campaign in Chechnya over
the next week, hoping to increase the number of refugees to 400,000. This
tactics may seem cruel, however, the main goal of the military is to
minimize civilian losses during a ground offensive. Russian military and the
Air Force in particular have very limited time left until the weather
conditions in the region will deteriorate to the point when they would
present a problem to Russian military aircraft operating over Chechnya.
Therefore, it is crucial that the Russian Air Force completes most of its
tasks during the next week.

According to a statement released by the commander-in-chief of the Russian
Air Force Col. Gen. Anatoly Kornukov, during the period from Sept. 20 to
Sept. 29 Russian Air Force performed 300 combat flights and destroyed over
100 terrorists, seven supply bases, seven training camps used by the
terrorists. In addition to that Russian military aircraft destroyed 10
vehicles, four weapons storage facilities, and 10 fuel storage facilities.
As a preventative measure Russian Air Force attacked and destroyed seven
bridges, laid mines along some 20 km of roads, mined and destroyed numerous
mountain roads and paths used by the terrorists. Russian aircraft also
destroyed four oil refineries, 10 large oil storage facilities, one
electrical power plant, and to weapons factories. According to Col. Gen.
Anatoly Kornukov effectiveness rate of Russian aviation was about 50 percent
during the first few days of the bombing campaign and by the end of the
first week of bombing the effectiveness rate reached 80 percent.
Russian ground forces continue to mass around Grozny. Russian planes flew
only ten sorties on Saturday against rebel positions near the town of Bamut
and Achkkhoi-Martan, south-west of Grozny. Chechen sources reported that
Russian artillery shelled the town of Argun 17 km east of Grozny. Chechen
rebels suffered heavy losses overnight. According to Chechen sources, over
100 wounded Chechen fighters were taken to a hospital in the town of
Urus-Martan (and shown on BBC as "civilian victims of Russian bombing."
Meanwhile, Russian tank divisions have blockaded the last road leading out
of the city. As I mentioned yesterday, Chechen government officials reported
that over 90% of civilian population have left Grozny. Main Russian forces
are approaching Grozny from north, north-east, and the west. Russian Mi-24
assault helicopters attacked rebel positions in the villages surrounding
Grozny. Appearance of assault helicopters around the city may indicate a
possible assault on Grozny by ground forces in the very near future. Russian
Foreign Minister said that Russia is willing to negotiate with Chechen
government officials if they: a) accepted the principles of Russian
sovereignty; b) agreed to follow the constitution of Russian Federation; c)
publicly condemned terrorism. The problem is that, with Basayev and Khattab
behind his back, Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov and his government are
little more than puppets with no real power.


Venik

As much bombing serbian hospital was wrong (eventhough the war
against Serbia was for the right cause of stopping the Slobodan the
Butcher) The barbarian act of the russian in Grozny should be condemend.
Russian have no right to be there. The whole area was occupied illegally
during the Russian Empire and the communist didn't ask the people of the
region if they want to be independent or not and forcefully continued
the brutal occupation. Now Mr Boris and the rest of the money laundrer
are trying to start a war to cover thier track. But as Vietnam,
Afghanestan and other unjust wars showed us, the agressor will be the
final loser!

So, who has ideas about the date?

I suspect it will start within days if not hours. There are many
details hinting that last preparations are done.

Ok, anyway, God bless Russian soldiers, pros and ordinary conscripts
who are now there putting end to the lordship of thugs.

Yes! Yes! Yes! I very proud of what mother Russia is during in Chechnya....for too long Islamic jerks have decided that the world belongs to them and their crazy religion. Thank you so very much mother Russia for standing up to cowards, who hind behind their beards.

English criminals must be kicked out the Scotland, Wales and North Ireland!
They oppressed whole world, and now it is time to pay back for all they have done.

What a crap. unbelievable. What a salad we can see in your head. Now it's probably too late, but you should have visited Chechnya a year ago or so to have a nice chance of being kidnapped, enslaved, raped and perhaps, beheaded - just the way so many other westerners had been.

It looks to me that it would have been the only way for you to understand what was going on in there, my brave "freedom fighter".

The freedom Chechens are fighting for is a special one -- it's a freedom of lawlessness and crime, drug and weapons smuggling, uneducated bandits, who never produced anything because they never learned anything except how to kill and kidnap people.

If that's the same kind of freedom you were fighting for 43 years ago, then you have a nice chance to continue your fight -- go ahead, babe and join those bandits, they might even pay for your ticket to Grozny.

What political solutions are they talking about? political solution with terrorists? to let them parasiting for longer? what kind of solutions would they want? take a guess, salad maker.

political solution was possible in Kosovo, and it's not possible in Chechnya with bandits, yet, NATO decided to bomb Kosovo and now suggests a political solution in Chechnya... what a crap! unbelievable. do you use your heads when thinking? are you sure?

those bandits is a bunch of parasites - they don't know anything and don't produce anything except troubles and they must be dealt with accordingly.

parasite squasher

Englishmen are global inciters and provocateurs.
They cry thief lauder than anybody else and continue kill people in N Ireland. The Scottish and Welsh freedom fighters will soon turn their lands into new Checnya

stupid russians why don't you feed yourselves first instead of commiting terror agains inocent and defenceless Chechen population.

NOW IT IS MORE THAN JUSTIFIED TO BLOW UP russian CIVILIANS

russian=an extremely stupid person who is only capable of killing unarmed civilians

Yeah, right, Adam, let's remember American's illegal occupation of America, Britain's illegal occupation of half-world, let's remember Spanish occupation of Latin America, and, why not, let's remember Rome and Greece...

Chechenya will prove to be the last nail in Russian coffin. They can't learn from their mistakes. Chechens will be the victorious in the end.

GO, RUSSIA, GO!!!!!!!
To those who don't know situation at that region: shut your mouth off!!! Russia will win!!!

Mother Russia, kill them all!!! They've deserved that!!! Hey Russian, do whatever you have to do; God will be with you!!!

Russia Pressures Georgia
October 29, 1999

Summary

Russian border guards, withdrawing from offices in the Georgian capital Tbilisi, left behind a little present – an anti-personnel mine. The Russian gesture is a small example of a much broader concerted campaign by Russia to reassert its influence over Georgia and the rest of the Caucasus region. Russia must reassert control over the southern Caucasus in order to ensure its continued control over the northern Caucasus and continued influence over Central Asian resources. The current Georgian government is an obstacle to Russia’s goals – an obstacle Moscow is now committed to removing.