Anti-Russian violence in Chechnya (1991–1994): Difference between revisions

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+#REDIRECT [[Anti-Russian sentiment#Within Russia]]
-'''Anti-Russian violence in Chechnya''' refers to acts of violence that were recorded against [[Anti-Russian sentiment|Russian]] and non-Chechen civilians in [[Chechnya]] from 1991 to 1994, which resulted in tens of thousands of ethnic Russians leaving or being expelled from the republic. Chechen separatists declared independence in 1991 as part of the disintegration of the Soviet Union before the [[First Chechen War]] began in 1994.
-== Background ==
-Russian commentators have described the animosity between Chechens and Russians as a conflict that has persisted since Russia's attempts to consolidate the territory into its empire in the 18th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ng.ru/regions/2002-05-23/5_leeder.html|title=Сегодняшние события — продолжение Кавказской войны|trans-title=Today events are the continuation of the Caucasus War|publisher=Nezavisimaya gazeta|date=2002-05-23|access-date=2019-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206130629/http://www.ng.ru/regions/2002-05-23/5_leeder.html|archive-date=2019-12-06|url-status=live}}</ref>
-The [[Soviet Census (1989)|All-Union Census of 1989]] recorded 1,270,429 residents of [[Checheno-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic|Checheno-Ingush ASSR]], including 734,501 Chechens, 293,771 Russians, 163,762 Ingushes, 14,824 Armenians, 14,824 Tatars, and 12,637 Nogai people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus_nac_89.php?reg=49|title=Soviet Census 1989|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403210621/http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus_nac_89.php?reg=49|archive-date=2019-04-03|access-date=2019-12-06}}</ref> The population of Chechnya was 1,100,000 residents,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru/rnchechenia.html|title=Ethno-Caucasus. Population of Chechnya districts in 1989|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013234204/http://www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru/rnchechenia.html|archive-date=2019-10-13|access-date=2019-12-06}}</ref> including the 397,000 people from Grozny (210,000 Russians).<ref name="Appeal">{{Cite web|url=http://www.obraschenie.front.ru/|title=Обращение об официальном признании Геноцида русских в Чечне|trans-title=Appeal on official recognition of Russian people genocide in Chechnya|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070415231013/http://www.obraschenie.front.ru/|archivedate=2007-04-15|accessdate=2007-05-05}}</ref>
-The migration of Russians from Checheno-Ingush ASSR was going on in the 1980s with their numbers dropping by 12.6% between 1979 and 1989.<ref name="dunlop86">{{cite book |last1=Dunlop |first1=John Barrett |title=Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict |date=1998 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521636193 |page=86}}</ref>
-According to a 2006 report published by the [[Moscow Helsinki Group]], while many former Soviet republics saw the mass emigration of Russian speakers to Russia, this emigration was spurred only in Chechnya by anti-Russian sentiments and the threat of violence.<ref name=":2">[http://www.mhg.ru/files/knigi/prksen1.pdf Opposing xenophobia and ethnic discrimination courses] (https://web.archive.org/web/20090611185909/http://www.mhg.ru/files/knigi/prksen1.pdf Archive])</ref> Local Chechen attitudes increasingly blamed Russia for their economic and political troubles and viewed ethnic Russians as hostile "colonizers" of Chechnya.<ref name=":2" />
-== Anti-Russian violence in 1991-1994 ==
-As [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union|the USSR was disintegrating]], the economic situation in Chechnya rapidly deteriorated and the civil order broker down.<ref name = hughes/>
-After coming to the power in late 1991 [[Dzhokhar Dudayev|Dudayev]] began the construction of an "autocratic Chechen state."<ref name="dunlop">{{cite book |last1=Dunlop |first1=John Barrett |title=Russia Confronts Chechnya: Roots of a Separatist Conflict |date=1998 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521636193 |pages=134-139}}</ref> Dudayev's government armed male Chechens in late 1991 and early 1992 which contributed to abuses against non-Chechens. Many Chechens who could not find work in Chechnya and lost their seasonal work in Russia turned against Russians and other non-Chechens who did not have the benefit of kin protection. The attacks included physical violence, robberies and "routine humiliations."<ref name = hughes/>  Some Russian homes were directly seized.<ref name="dunlop"/>
-Ethnic Russians were removed from the economic administration and the organs of judicial and legislative power.<ref name="dunlop"/> The local Communist Party official Vitaly Kutsenko became among the first casualties of the anti-Russian violence when he was assaulted by supporters of Dudayev and members of National Congress of Chechen People. Conflicting reports allege that either Kutsenko was thrown out of a window of his office, or died from falling after trying to escape out a window.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/russia/2009/12/091210_chechnya_war_history|title=Первая чеченская: путь к войне|author=Артем Кречетников|date=2009-12-10|website=BBC News Russian Service|language=ru|accessdate=2019-12-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025105730/http://www.bbc.com/russian/russia/2009/12/091210_chechnya_war_history|archive-date=2017-10-25|url-status=live}}</ref>  According to Russian political commentators, the lack of action from the Soviet government in response to this assault further emboldened Chechen forces to carry out violence against Russians.<ref>[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?fromsearch=ac89d082-b347-4736-85b9-eb7ff6a28869&docsid=281761 Day of Banditism, Terrorism and Arbitrariness] Kommersant, No. 161 (2291), 6 September 2001]</ref><ref>[http://www.rg.ru/2009/10/08/edelev.html Checkists capture Staff] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206131217/https://rg.ru/2009/10/08/edelev.html |date=2019-12-06 }} [[Rossiyskaya Gazeta]], No. 5013 (189)</ref> Many other leading representatives of the Russian-language population were murdered, including the university rector Kan-Kalik, dean Udodov, judge Samsonova, cabinet of ministers employee Sanko and journalist Krikoryants.<ref name = hughes/>
-From June 1990 to June 1991 20,000 Russians and other non-Chechens left Chechnya while in the next year 50,000 moved out.<ref name="dunlop"/> Overall, about one-third of Russians who lived in Chechnya were expelled in 1991-1992.<ref name = hughes/>
-According to [[Izvestiya]], Russian persecution began in the 1990s, starting with threatening letters telling Russians to leave in 1990, followed by the disappearances of Russian girls and reports of Russian men being assaulted.<ref name=":122">[https://archive.today/20120530021036/www.izvestia.ru/russia/article1092129/ Forgotten Genocide]. [[Izvestiya]], 28 January 2005</ref> Russian government officials described the events as a genocide and described various anti-Russian slogans attributed to Chechens which called for the expulsion and/or enslavement of Russians.<ref name=":02">[http://www.specnaz.ru/article/?1267 Gates of Thunder] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913231033/http://www.specnaz.ru/article/?1267|date=2017-09-13}} Spetsnaz Rossii, issue 5 (14), May 2008 {{in lang|ru}}</ref><ref>[http://svpressa.ru/society/article/66089/ Return to Ingushetia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206130707/https://svpressa.ru/society/article/66089/|date=2019-12-06}} ID Svobodnaya Pressa, 12 June 2013,</ref>
-The residents of [[Assinovskaya]], [[Sernovodsky District|Sunzhensky District]], Chechnya, sent an open letter to the Russian president [[Boris Yeltsin]], in which they named all the cases of assaults on Russian people and murders of them. The letter stated that 26 Russian families had been murdered since August 1996, and more than 52 households were kidnapped by the Chechen forces.<ref name="trudgenoc">[http://conrad2001.narod.ru/russian/genocide/genocide_8.htm Vladimir Yanchenkov. Documentary evidence of genocide of Russians in Mashakdov's Ichkeriya] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725204149/http://conrad2001.narod.ru/russian/genocide/genocide_8.htm|date=2015-07-25}}, Trud, 17 February 2000</ref> Another appeal made by 50 thousand residents of Naursky and Shelkovsky Districts was mentioned in a book published by Rosinformcenter.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fsb.ru/history/book/white/white.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2019-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419125844/http://www.fsb.ru/history/book/white/white.html |archive-date=2008-04-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="white book">{{Cite web |url=http://conrad2001.narod.ru/russian/library/books/wh_book_3/wh_book_3-6.htm |title="Chechnya. White Book." Moscow, 2000. RIA Novosti, Rosinformcenter |access-date=2019-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724030428/http://conrad2001.narod.ru/russian/library/books/wh_book_3/wh_book_3-6.htm |archive-date=2015-07-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
-People fleeing Chechnya could not get refugee status because, according to Russian laws, the refugee status was only offered for migration to another country; those people were considered "internally displaced persons".<ref>[http://www.trud.ru/issue/article.php?id=200002170300502 Outcasts in Homeland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206130658/http://www.trud.ru/issue/article.php%3Fid%3D200002170300502|date=2019-12-06}} Trud // No.30, 17 February 2000]</ref>
-==Reactions==
-===Official reaction===
-On 17 June 1993, the Council of Nations of [[Supreme Soviet of Russia]] adopted the statement "Due to the situation in the Chechen Republic", in which it was stated that the policy of the Chechen authorities led to "serious deterioration of different nations", some of whose people "[were] expelled over the borders of the republic and have to leave places, where they and their ancestors had been living together with Chechens and [[Ingushes]] for many generations".<ref>Statement of Council of Nations of Supreme Soviet of Russia, 17 June 1993, No. 5205-I ""Due to the situation in the Chechen Republic"</ref> In October 1994 Dudayev claimed during an interview with [[Interfax]] that reports of persecution of non-Chechen people in Ichkeriya were simply Russian propaganda, and highlighted proclamations made by his government against the persecution of Russians.<ref name="white book" />
-The Russian MVD and Prosecutor General officials stated that Russian and Chechen Internal Affairs Sections did not sign any agreements on functions distinction between two sides, so all crimes committed on Chechen territory had to be investigated by Chechnya law agencies.<ref>[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/73427 Chechnya denies the fact of Russian slaves existing] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206132043/https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/73427 |date=2019-12-06 }} Kommersant, No. 44 (512), 12 March 1994</ref>
-In July 2000 Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] said, "Last {{Sic|years}} we saw [a] large-scale genocide of Russian nation and Russian-speaking population in Chechnya. Unfortunately, nobody dared to move a muscle after that".<ref>{{cite web  |url= http://kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/24166|title=Interview of Vladimir Putin|author=[[Marek Halter]]|work=[[Paris Match]]|date=2000-07-06|publisher=[[Kremlin.ru]]|accessdate=2015-08-17|language=ru|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20150817204131/http://kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/24166|archivedate=2015-08-17}}</ref> At the meeting with Chechen community representatives in 2002, Putin noted that [[Aslan Maskhadov]]'s reign was arranged in Chechnya, and claimed that it led to genocide against other nations, total collapse of social and spiritual areas of life, economic collapse, and hunger.<ref>[http://www.mid.ru/bl.nsf/218603db65cac2d343256ac50038d63e/2723802722b3079143256c6e002a40e0?OpenDocument President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the meeting of Chechen community, 10 November 2002] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215210115/http://www.mid.ru/bl.nsf/218603db65cac2d343256ac50038d63e/2723802722b3079143256c6e002a40e0?OpenDocument |date=15 February 2015 }} (Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)</ref>
-In 2006, Chechen Republic Prime Minister Deputy Ziyad Sabsabi denied enabling genocide against Russians in Ichkeriya in 1992 and 1993 and stated
-{{quotation|We will not and are not going to silence [that]. However, I want to note that there was no genocide of a particular nation: Jews, Armenians, Russians, Ukrainians etc. lived in Chechnya. But I can assure you, the victims of illegitimate armed groups were also Chechens, which suffered from them not less than Russians.<ref>[http://www.echo.msk.ru/programs/razvorot/48128/ Anniversary of Russian troops entering Chechnya. Current situation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206130639/https://echo.msk.ru/programs/razvorot/48128/ |date=2019-12-06 }}. Razvorot radio show, 11 December 2016, [[Echo of Moscow]]</ref>}}
-Accounts of the suffering of the Russian-speaking population of Chechnya were sometimes intentionally exaggerated by the Russian intelligence services who sought to undermine Dudayev in 1991-1994.<ref name = dunlop/>
-=== Criminal prosecution ===
-On 1 February 1995 a criminal case was opened by Prosecutor General of Russia against Dudayev who was accused of stoking inter-ethnic hatred.<ref name="white book"/>
-Putin's statement on human rights violations during counter-terrorism operations in the Northern Caucasus region of Russia pledged a quick investigation into genocide in Chechnya cases and placed responsibility for these and other crimes on criminal "Dudayev – Maskhadov regime".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rg.ru/oficial/from_min/prezident/264.htm |title=Information provided by President of Russia Press Service |access-date=2019-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305013343/http://rg.ru/oficial/from_min/prezident/264.htm |archive-date=2016-03-05 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-In 2001 Chechen Ramzes Goychaev was accused by the court of Russians genocide in Chechnya in 1997-1999 (Article 357 of Russian Criminal Code). According to information from prosecutors, Goychaev's gang murdered 10 Russian people in Chervlyonnaya (Shelkovsky District, Republic of Chechnya).<ref>[http://news.ng.ru/2001/04/18/987592126.html Chechen terrorist Goychaev sentenced to death] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20090531203613/http://news.ng.ru/2001/04/18/987592126.html Archive]) // [[Nezavisimaya gazeta]], 18 April 2001.</ref> The court did not find Goyachev guilty of genocide because genocide was understood to be "the crime against world and humanity safety".<ref>[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?fromsearch=33b541f4-4ee9-4cf3-8276-ba78dd600e06&docsid=290776 Bandits were killing Russians] // Kommersant, № 206 (2336), 10 November 2001] {{in lang|ru}}'</ref> However, several murders were enough reason to sentence Goychaev to the [[Capital punishment|death penalty]] before being commuted to a [[life sentence]].<ref>[http://www.gazeta.ru/2001/04/18/pervyjsmertn.shtml The first death sentence for five years] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031190749/https://www.gazeta.ru/2001/04/18/pervyjsmertn.shtml |date=2019-10-31 }} // [[Gazeta.Ru]], 18 April 2001 {{in lang|ru}}</ref>
-=== Human rights organisations ===
-Some Russian human rights activists state that crimes against civilians on territories not controlled by Russian Armed Forces went unpunished.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010702202213/http://www.hro.org/editions/karta/nr3031/chechnia.htm Chechnya: counter-terrorist operation or war?]</ref> Also, the 1086 PACE Resolution condemned the capture of positions near civilian settlements by Chechen armed detachments without preliminary warning of civilians on evacuation necessity. All similar crimes of illegal armed groups are included in books published by Memorial, however, authors state that the description of crimes by media is overblown.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.memo.ru/hr/hotpoints/chechen/itogi/index.htm |title=Human rights violation by Chechen Republic of Ichkeriya authorities |access-date=2019-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215185306/http://www.memo.ru/hr/hotpoints/chechen/itogi/Index.htm |archive-date=2016-12-15 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-== Number of victims  ==
-About 90,000 Russians and other non-Chechens were expelled or forced to leave in 1991-1992.<ref name="hughes">{{cite book |last1=Hughes |first1=James |title=Chechnya: From Nationalism to Jihad |date=2013 |isbn=9780812202311 |page=64}}</ref>
-In July 1999 the Russian Ministry of Nations Affairs said that in the nine years since 1991, more than 21,000 Russian civilians lost their lives. At least 100 thousand lost their homes, and were destroyed or commandeered by native civilians. At least 46,000 individuals became de facto slaves.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ng.ru/regions/2003-05-23/4_kazak.html |title=Displacement of Russians in Chechnya is still going on due to federal officials' indifference |access-date=2009-08-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531100704/http://www.ng.ru/regions/2003-05-23/4_kazak.html |archive-date=2009-05-31 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010718065203/http://www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/3376.html Itar-Tass: Over 21,000 Russians Killed in Chechnya Since 1991] // Center for Defense Information</ref><ref>[http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=16758 Vladimir Putin: Russia will not start negotiations with Chechen terrorists and bandits] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318070746/http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=16758 |date=2009-03-18 }} [[Russia-1|Rossiya Channel]], 19 December 2002</ref>
-According to historic population data, there were 269,130 Russians in Checheno-Ingush ASSR in 1989 (24.8%) and there were 24,382 Russians in Chechen Republic of Russian Federation in 2010 (1.9%).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru/rnchechenia.html |title=Chechnya population data |access-date=2019-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013234204/http://www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru/rnchechenia.html |archive-date=2019-10-13 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-== References ==
-{{reflist|2}}
-== Literature ==
-* {{cite book|author=Romanov, P. V.|title=Chechnya. White Book|trans-title=Чечня. Белая книга|url=https://archive.org/details/kgbivlast0000bobk|url-status=dead|location=Moscow|year=2000|publisher=[[RIA Novosti]], Rosinformcenter|isbn=5-900328-44-9|url-access=registration}}
-* {{cite book|author=Surkov A. P.|title=Chechnya in Flame of Separatism|trans-title=Чечня в пламени сепаратизма|url=http://www.lib.unn.ru/php/details.php?DocId=29469&DB=1|location=Саратов|publisher=Povolzhye academic state service publishing house|year=1998}}
-* {{cite book|author=Yuri Kondratyev|title=Grozny. Several days|trans-title=Грозный. Несколько дней|series=Воспоминания о Грозном (Memory of Grozny)|url=http://conrad2001.narod.ru/russian/grozny.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215134142/http://conrad2001.narod.ru/russian/grozny.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-12-15}}
-* {{cite book|author=Dmitry Sokolov-Mitrich|title=Non-Tajik girls, non-Chechen boys|trans-title=Нетаджикские девочки. Нечеченские мальчики|publisher=Yauza-Press|year=2007|pages=320|isbn=978-5-903339-45-7}}
-* {{cite book|author=[[Paul Khlebnikov]]|title=Talking to Barbarian|trans-title=Разговор с варваром|pages=288|year=2005|publisher=Detective-Press|isbn=5-89935-057-1}}
-* {{cite journal|author=Vladimir Zykov|title=Blood and Dust|trans-title=Кровь и пыль|editor=Introduction by Igor Shafarevich, "The voice from total darkness|publisher=Nash Sovremennik|issue=11|year=1996|location=Moscow|language=ru}}
-* {{cite web|url=http://reeed.ru/lib/books/dnevnik_mirnogo_zhitelya_goroda_groznogo/|title="Дневник мирного жителя города Грозного" Гричанова Н. Г.|trans-title=Diary of a Grozny Civilian N.G.Grichanov|date=2011}}
-* {{cite web|url=http://www.litsovet.ru/index.php/material.read?material_id=310875|title="Нас предала Родина"|trans-title=We were betrayed by Motherland|date=2010|author=Konstantin Semenov}} (original name of book is "Grozny Novel" — «Грозненский роман»)
-* {{cite web|url=http://www.litsovet.ru/index.php/material.read?material_id=368900|title="Грозненские миражи"|trans-title=Grozny Mirages|date=2011|author=Konstantin Semenov}}
-== External links ==
-*{{cite web|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/469f38d12.html| title=Chronology of events in Chechnya|publisher=Minorities at Risk| year=2004|ref=Chronology}}
-{{Chechen wars|state=expanded}}
-[[Category:Anti-Russian sentiment]]
-[[Category:Chechen Republic of Ichkeria]]
-[[Category:Chechen–Russian conflict]]
-[[Category:Human rights abuses in Russia]]