1999 Russian bombing of Chechnya

Second Chechen War (Russian offensive 1999–2000)

Russian air bombardment Elistanzhi cluster bombing Grozny missile attack Shami-Yurt bombing Goity incident Grozny Staropromyslovsky massacre Katyr-Yurt bombing Novye Aldi massacre Hill 776 Komsomolskoye OMON fratricide incident Zhani-Vedeno

The 1999 Russian bombing of Chechnya was Russian Air Force's military operation against the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria that was a prelude to the main part of the Second Chechen War. In late August and September 1999, Russia mounted a massive air campaign over Chechnya, with the stated aim of wiping out militants who invaded Dagestan the previous month.

Russian Air Force commander Anatoly Kornukov suggested there were similarities between the attacks on Chechnya and 1999 NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.^[1]

Campaign

On August 26, 1999 Russia acknowledged bombing raids in Chechnya.^[2] Russian aircraft attacked several targets in Serzhen-Yurt, Benoy and along the Vedeno gorge.

To help rally political support for the operation, the FSB released a videotape of Chechen militants committing atrocities against Russian soldiers. "We should hit, hit and once again hit them until Mr. Maskhadov says that there's nobody left except civilians. Then we should get in and see that for ourselves," said a member of the Duma's defense committee.^[3]

On September 23, 1999 the first in a series of missile attacks on the Chechen capital Grozny was launched. The first target was the Sheikh Mansur (Severny) Grozny Airport, situated 2 kilometres from the city centre. In the north-east, burning fuel depots and the Grozny oil refinery and enveloping the capital in a cloud of smoke. During the next two days of Russian air attacks on the city at least 31 people were killed and more than 60 injured.

On September 27, 1999, at least 42 people were killed and more than 200 injured in the bombing raids on Grozny.

Effects

Until September 25, 1999 Russian warplanes had carried out at least 1,700 sorties since the bombing runs began. Russian command claimed that a total of 150 military bases have been destroyed, along with 30 bridges, 80 vehicles and six radio transmitters, while 250 kilometers of mountain roads were mined. In early October the Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov said some 60-70 percent of the bridges in Chechnya have been destroyed.

The air strikes quickly crippled Chechnya's stationary and mobile telephone system and hit the Chechen television station. The electricity supply was also cut; in addition to its other consequences, the loss of electricity further crippled the Chechen administration's ability to compete in the information war.^[4]

The attacks were reported to have killed hundreds of civilians and forced at least 100,000 Chechens to flee their homes. The neighbouring region of Ingushetia was reported to have appealed for United Nations aid to deal with tens of thousands of refugees.^[5] On October 2, 1999 Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations admitted that 78,000 people have fled the air strikes in Chechnya; most of them were heading for Ingushetia, where they are arriving at a rate of 5,000 to 6,000 a day.

References

Chechen–Russian conflict

Key events	Conflict	Federalists	Separatists	Mujahideen

Wars First Chechen War War of Dagestan Second Chechen War War in Ingushetia First Chechen War (1994–96) 1994 Grozny battle 1994 Khankala battle 1994–95 Grozny battle 1996 Shatoy ambush 1996 Grozny battle 1996 Khasavyurt accord Second Chechen War (1999–2009) 1999 Chechnya bombing 1999–2000 Grozny battle 2000 Height 776 battle 2000 Komsomolskoye battle 2000 Zhani ambush 2002 Khankala Mi-26 crash 2004 Nazran raid 2004 Grozny raid 2005 Nalchik raid Counter-insurgency operations Guerrilla phase Insurgency (2009–present) Insurgency in the North Caucasus	Major attacks 1995 Budyonnovsk hostage crisis 1996 Black Sea hostage crisis 1996 Kizlyar hostage crisis 1999 Apartment bombings 2002 Moscow hostage crisis 2002 Grozny truck bombing 2004 Aircraft bombings 2004 Beslan school siege Related topics Censorship of Chechnya coverage Crimes and terrorism Mass graves Suicide attacks Assassinations Casualties (Second Chechen War) Aircraft losses International response Politics of Chechnya Chechenpress Kavkaz Center In culture Alexandra Angel of Grozny Ant in a Glass Jar Polina Zherebtsova's Journal The 3 Rooms of Melancholia The Pathologies The Search War	Combatants Russian Federation Armed Forces Ground Forces Ministry of Internal Affairs OMON ODON Internal Troops Federal Security Service Main Intelligence Directorate Special Forces (Spetsnaz) Republic of Chechnya Militia (Kadyrovtsy) Leaders Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin Dmitry Medvedev Vladimir Putin Chechnya † Akhmad Kadyrov Alu Alkhanov Ramzan Kadyrov † Dzhabrail Yamadayev † Ruslan Yamadayev † Sulim Yamadayev	Combatants Ichkeria Caucasian Front Leaders † Dzhokhar Dudayev † Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev † Aslan Maskhadov † Abdul-Halim Sadulayev † Ruslan Gelayev † Shamil Basayev † Arbi Barayev † Salman Raduyev Akhmed Zakayev † Turpal-Ali Atgeriyev † Vakha Arsanov Ilyas Akhmadov † Movsar Barayev † Muslim Atayev † Rasul Makasharipov † Ilias Gorchkhanov † Rappani Khalilov	Combatants Caucasus Emirate Arab Mujahideen Islamic International Brigade Riyad-us Saliheen Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Caucasus Province Leaders † Magomed Suleimanov † Aliaskhab Kebekov † Dokka Umarov (POW) Aslambek Vadalov (POW) Ali Taziev † Anzor Astemirov † Supyan Abdullayev Aslan Byutukayev Movladi Udugov † Khuseyn Gakayev (POW) Tarkhan Gaziyev † Said Buryatsky † Magomed Vagabov † Rustam Asildarov † Asker Dzhappuyev † Arthur Getagazhev † Ibn al-Khattab † Abu al-Walid † Abu Hafs al-Urduni † Muhannad † Abdulla Kurd

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1999 Russian bombing of Chechnya

Campaign

Effects

See also

References