The First Chechen War

Russia: Armed Forces (Army, Airborne Forces), FSB, FPS (Border Guards), MVD (Police), Anti-Dudaev opposition (Loyal Chechens). Chechnya: Chechen militants, Armed Forces of ChRI, Army of General Dudayev (since 1996) Autonomous jamaats: IPON, Urus-Martan jamaat. Foreign fighters: Jihad Arab Mujahideen, UNA-UNSO, Bozkurt “Gray Wolves”, “Grandchildren of Shamil”. Command of the Russian side: Commanders-in-Chief: Boris Yeltsin Pavel Grachev OG Commanders: Anatoly Kvashnin Anatoly Kulikov Anatoly Romanov Anatoly Shkirko Konstantin Pulikovsky Vyacheslav Tikhomirov Commanders of groups of forces: Lev Rokhlin Gennady Troshev Vladimir Shamanov Ivan Babichev Victor Vorobyov Nikolay Skrypnik Pro-Russian forces in Chechnya: Umar Avturkhanov. Doku Zavgaev. Ruslan Labazanov.

Command of the Chechen side: Dzhokhar Dudayev Zelimkhan Yandarbiev Said-Hasan Abumuslimov Commanders of the Armed Forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria: Aslan Maskhadov Ruslan Alikhadzhiev Aslanbek Ismailov Akhmed Zakayev Shamil Basayev Ruslan Gelaev Daud Akhmedov Vakha Arsanov Ilyas Akhmedov Khizir Khachukaev Doku Umarov Salman Raduev Turpal-Ali Atgeriev Khunkar-Pasha Israfilov Aslanbek Arsayev Dalkhan Khozhaev Isa Astamirov Umalt Dashaev Apti Tokayev Ali Adayev Dokka Makhaev Aslambek Abdulkhadzhiev Ruslan Khaikhoroev Apti Batalov Lecha Dudayev Said-Magomed Chupalaev Abusupyan Movsaev Lecha Khultygov Khusein Isabaev Taus Baguraev Salafis: Ali Fathi al-Shishani Ramzan Akhmedov Arbi Barayev Rizvan Akhmadov Abdul-Malik Mezhidov Khuta Akhmadov Aslan Dukuzov Abu Dharr Shishani Foreign volunteers: Jihad Khattab UNA-UNSO Alexander Muzychko Bozkurt Medet Onlu Muhammad Tokchan

On November 30, 1994, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed Decree No. 2137, "On Measures to Restore Constitutional Legality and Law and Order in the Territory of the Chechen Republic." The decree provided for the de facto adoption of a state of emergency in Chechnya without its official declaration, as well as the granting of special powers to the so-called "Group for the Leadership of Actions to Disarm and Eliminate Armed Formations, and the Introduction and Maintenance of a State of Emergency in the Territory of the Chechen Republic." On December 1, Russian aircraft struck the Kalinovskaya and Khankala airfields, disabling all aircraft in the separatists' possession. On December 8, 1994, the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation adopted Resolution No. 291-I SF "On the Situation in the Chechen Republic," condemning the use of force to resolve the conflict and proposing that the President of the Russian Federation "take constitutional measures to normalize the situation in and around the Chechen Republic," including "repeatedly appealing to the leaders of the warring parties... with a proposal to immediately end the armed conflict and begin negotiations to restore constitutional order in the republic." However, the very next day, December 9, President Boris Yeltsin signed Decree No. 2166 "On Measures to Suppress the Activities of Illegal Armed Groups on the Territory of the Chechen Republic and in the Ossetian-Ingush Conflict Zone." Following this, on the same day, the Government of the Russian Federation adopted Resolution No. 1360 “On Ensuring State Security and Territorial Integrity of the Russian Federation, the Rule of Law, the Rights and Freedoms of Citizens, and the Disarmament of Illegal Armed Formations on the Territory of the Chechen Republic and Adjacent Regions of the North Caucasus,” which instructed the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the Russian Ministry of Defense, to disarm illegal armed formations on the territory of the Chechen Republic and, if confiscation is impossible, to destroy the equipment.

After the onset of perestroika, the All-National Congress of the Chechen People (ANCCP) was formed in 1990, with the goal of Chechnya's secession from the USSR and the creation of an independent Chechen state. It was headed by former Soviet Air Force General Dzhokhar Dudayev. On June 8, 1991, at the 2nd session of the ANCCP, Dudayev proclaimed the Chechen Republic, thus establishing dual power in the republic. During the events of August 19–21, 1991, in Moscow, the leadership of the Chechen-Ingush ASSR, according to some reports, supported the State Emergency Committee. Assessing the situation, on September 6, 1991, Dudayev announced the dissolution of the republic's state structures, accusing Russia of colonial policies. That same day, Dudayev's supporters stormed the building of the Supreme Soviet of the Chechen-Ingush ASSR, the television center, and the House of Radio. More than 40 deputies were beaten, and the chairman of the Grozny city council, Vitaly Kutsenko, was killed by being thrown out of a window. On October 27, 1991, presidential and parliamentary elections were held in the Chechen part of Checheno-Ingushetia under separatist control. Dzhokhar Dudayev became President of the self-proclaimed Chechen Republic. Dudayev's opponents claimed that the election results were falsified. On November 7, 1991, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the Decree “On the introduction of a state of emergency in the Chechen-Ingush Republic.” Following the publication of the presidential decree declaring a state of emergency, separatist supporters surrounded the buildings of the Chechen-Ingush ASSR Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB, military camps, and blockaded railway and air hubs. Leaders of opposition parties and movements declared their support for President Dudayev and his government, which had taken on the mission of defending Chechnya's sovereignty. The declaration of a state of emergency was thwarted; on November 11, after a heated debate, the decree "On the Declaration of a State of Emergency in the Chechen-Ingush Republic" was rejected by the Russian parliament.

Chechen fighters' weapons included AK-47, AKM, and AK-74U assault rifles; DShK, DP, RPK, and PKM machine guns; TT and PM pistols; Dragunov sniper rifles; and RPG-7 grenade launchers. Western weapons were also used. In case of victory, the Chechens also captured weapons from the Russians. Patriotism in Chechnya consisted of hatred of Russians, love for Allah and a thirst to become an independent republic.

Weapons of the Russian army: Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD), Kalashnikov assault rifles (AK-47, AKM, AK-74), Kalashnikov light machine gun (RPK-74), Kalashnikov modified machine gun (PKM), RPG-7 grenade launchers, Makarov pistols, Fagot ATGM. Russian army equipment:

1. Tanks T-72A, T-80.
2. BMP-2.
3. BM ZRPK "Tunguska".
4. BTR-80, BTR-70.
5. Helicopters Mi-8, Mi-26, Mi-24. Patriotism in Russia – Russia entered Chechnya with Soviet notions of comradeship, self-sacrifice, and patriotism. After 1995, patriotism took on a different meaning. Articles and books portrayed the Russian soldier fighting not for some abstract homeland, but for the guy puffing next to him. During battles, most soldiers were aggressive only toward armed Islamists, unmindful of the fact that even civilians could aid the enemy. Some, however, decided to betray their homeland and comrades by converting to Islam and joining the Chechens. The heroism of the Russians consisted in the fact that soldiers often helped their comrades or fought to the death. It's also worth noting that, instead of being captured, a Russian soldier would let the enemy get close, then grab a grenade and blow everything up. The United Group of Federal Troops (UGF) is an armed force created by the Russian military command in 1994 to fight Dzhokhar Dudayev's separatists in Chechnya. The OGFV included units and parts of the Ministry of Defense, the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, border troops, and forces of the Federal Counterintelligence Service. The group's objectives are to stabilize the situation in the Chechen Republic, disarm illegal armed groups, and, in the event of resistance, liquidate them, and restore law and order. Some commanders of the OGFV: Colonel General Alexey Mityukhin (December 1994); Anatoly Kvashnin (December 20, 1994 – January 31, 1995);