Chechnya - Dangerous Days

 

01/01/21Chechnya became part of Russia's Mountain Republic, which is formally incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1924.
01/01/34Chechnya merges with neighboring Ingushetia in Checheno-Ingushetia.
01/01/44Hundreds of thousands of Chechens are deported by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin with other Caucasus peoples to Soviet Central Asia. Many die during the journey or in exile. After Stalin's death, they are allowed to return home in 1957.
01/01/97Maskhadov elected president of the Chechen Republic.
01/09/96Chechen commandos, led by Salman Raduyev, take 2000 people hostage at a hospital in Kizliar in the republic of Dagestan.
01/16/96Pro-Chechen commandos hijack a Black Sea ferry at the Turkish port of Trabzon, taking 150 hostages, most Russian tourists. Hostages are later released after the hijackers claim their aim of drawing worldwide attention to Russian atrocities in Chechnya is achieved.
01/17/96Russian troops attack Chechen fighters and their hostages dig in the village of Pervomaiskaya on the Chechnya/Dagestan border. Eighteen hostages are reported missing by Moscow, which also claims killing 153 Chechens and taking 28 prisoner.
02/09/95Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev describes the campaign as a huge mistake that would cost the country dearly.
03/31/96Yeltsin announces peace plan and says all Russian military operations will be suspended.
04/08/94Kidnappers from Chechnya carry out a series of hostage seizures of civilians in southern Russia. Russia blames Dudayev, and call on Chechens to topple him.
06/01/92Chechnya and Ingushetia split, Ingushetia remaining in the Russian Federation.
06/14/95Chechen fighters take the southern Russian town of Budyonnovsk and 1500 hostages in a hospital. Russian forces free 200 people on the 17th, but at least 150 are killed. Talks were held between Chernomyrdin and the Chechen leader of the hostage-taking, Shamyl Basayev. Agreement reached freeing the remaining hostages in return for a halt in fighting in Chechnya and negotiations for the withdrawal of Russian troops in Chechnya.
08/06/96Chechen fighters reverse the war, driving Russian troops out of Grozny.
08/31/96Lebed and Maskhadov sign peace treaty ending the war in Chechnya.
09/05/91The government of Checheno-Ingushetia, which supports the August hard-line coup against Mikhail Gorbachev, resign, Soviet Air Force General Dzhokhar Dudayev leaves Estonia and is installed as national leader.
10/01/91Dudayev launches a campaign to topple Moscow's temporary administration, attacking government offices and holding mass rallies. He wins 80 percent backing in presidential polls and unilaterally declares Chechnya independent.
11/01/91Yeltsin declares a state of emergency in Checheno-Ingushetia and sends troops to Grozny. Troops are blocked at the airport, parliament overrules his declaration, and Yeltsin pulls them out after three days.
1817-1864Imperial Russia fights a 40-year war to conquer mountainous lands between itself and newly acquired Georgia, defeating the Chechens and other Muslim peoples.
1859Chechnya is incorporated into Russia.


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