Chechnya << CHEHCH nyuh >> is a Russian republic in the northern Caucasus Mountains. It was once part of the Soviet Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Republic. In 1991, Chechnya began a drive for independence from Russia, a goal it has pursued for centuries.
Chechnya covers about 6,000 square miles (15,500 square kilometers). It has about 1 1/2 million people. Most Chechens are Muslims. Chechnya’s capital and largest city is Groznyy (or Grozny). The region’s most important resources are oil and oil pipelines.
In 1991, Chechnya declared independence from Russia. Russia sent troops to oppose independence but withdrew the troops within a few days. Conflict continued in Chechnya between supporters and opponents of independence. In 1994, Russia sent troops to crush the independence movement. Thousands of civilians were killed, and bombs destroyed much of Groznyy. Russian forces took control of Chechnya’s main cities, but the conflict continued. In 1996, a cease-fire ended the fighting. In 1997, a peace treaty formalized the truce.
In 1999, Islamic militants attempted to unite Chechnya and the neighboring republic of Dagestan. Russia invaded Chechnya to defeat the rebellion. Russian attacks again heavily damaged Chechnya’s cities and killed many civilians. Many nations protested Russia’s handling of the conflict. Russian forces gained control of Chechnya’s main cities by mid-2000. The militants refused to surrender and began making surprise attacks on Russian forces. Chechen terrorists took hostages and bombed Russian civilians. See Russia (History).
In 2003, voters in Chechnya approved a new constitution that affirmed the region’s ties to Russia. But the Russian government helped write the constitution, and voters included Russian soldiers. Voters then elected a new, Russian-supported president, Akhmad Kadyrov. However, the Russian government disqualified presidential candidates who might have been able to defeat Kadyrov. In 2004, a rebel bomb blast killed Kadyrov. Later that year, Alu Alkhanov, also supported by Russia, was elected president. But many believed the Russian government tampered with the election results. Conflicts with Chechen rebels continued. In 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Alkhanov to a position in the Russian government. Akhmad Kadyrov’s son Ramzan Kadyrov succeeded Alkhanov as president. In 2009, the Russian government ended its antiterrorist operations in Chechnya, claiming to have stabilized the situation. However, some critics accused Kadyrov of using terrorist tactics to silence his opponents.
