Shmack
Active member
Today is somewhat unofficial anniversary of the Second Chechen war. On August, 16, 1999 leader of the separatists Aslan Maskhadov declared martial law 9 days after the Chechens invaded another Russian republic - Daghestan and were squeezed out back to Chechnya. First big Russian units entered Chechnya this day, then go 9 months of active fightings and thousands of dead before Russian troops take control over all populated areas of the breakaway republic.
This war wasn't that easy and beautiful as Georgian campaign 10 years later. These are pics made by some European journalist in Autumn 1999.
A typical Chechen city.
Capital of Chechnya. Before dissolution of the Soviet Union its population was 400 thousand people, it was a popular resort.
Separatists' 'militants'.
Caption reads 'We came back to f**k you'.
Howitzer, tank and baby buggy.
Notorious Minutka ('just a minute' in Russian) square, the very downtown of Grozny.
Everybody is wearing whatever he wants and protects himself with whatever he has. Ragamuffin army. For some reason this aspect always impressed me most of all.
Chechen mass grave.
'Restaurant' in Gudermes town. Apparently they were waiting for some English-speaking tourists, perhaps from Australia or Canada to drop in.
You know, Chechen conflict was the very thing which made me to finally reconsider my plans for future, leave linguistic university and enter military academy. By the time I recieved leutenant rank the war was already over. I never took part in any battles, but i felt very strong immersiveness. Back then it seemed to me that i've joined another army, not the one which engaged in that war 2 years before, but triumphant and committed. It took me several years to realize how wrong i was.
This war wasn't that easy and beautiful as Georgian campaign 10 years later. These are pics made by some European journalist in Autumn 1999.
A typical Chechen city.
Capital of Chechnya. Before dissolution of the Soviet Union its population was 400 thousand people, it was a popular resort.
Separatists' 'militants'.
Caption reads 'We came back to f**k you'.
Howitzer, tank and baby buggy.
Notorious Minutka ('just a minute' in Russian) square, the very downtown of Grozny.
Everybody is wearing whatever he wants and protects himself with whatever he has. Ragamuffin army. For some reason this aspect always impressed me most of all.
Chechen mass grave.
'Restaurant' in Gudermes town. Apparently they were waiting for some English-speaking tourists, perhaps from Australia or Canada to drop in.
You know, Chechen conflict was the very thing which made me to finally reconsider my plans for future, leave linguistic university and enter military academy. By the time I recieved leutenant rank the war was already over. I never took part in any battles, but i felt very strong immersiveness. Back then it seemed to me that i've joined another army, not the one which engaged in that war 2 years before, but triumphant and committed. It took me several years to realize how wrong i was.