Actual News from Chechnya

News update

Four militants voluntarily turned themselves in on Sunday in Chechnya, spokesman for the regional headquarters of the anti-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus Maj. Gen. Ilya Shabalkin told Interfax on Monday. He said that a militant from the group of Isa Muskiyev operating in Shali and Kurchaloi districts turned himself in to the police in Koshkeldy. He also surrendered his Kalashnikov assault rifle. Two militants surrendered in Grozny. Shabalkin said that they expressed readiness to cooperate with investigators and reported facts about the crimes committed by their group. The degree of their responsibility is being established. A resident of Novy Sharoi turned himself in to the local police Sunday night. A police source told Interfax that the man said he had belonged to a militant group operating his village since spring 2004 and subordinate to Rezvan Magomadov. He surrendered a portable anti-tank grenade-launcher, a sniper rifle, a flame-thrower, a land mine, explosives and ammunition. Also two caches of arms and ammunition were uncovered in Chechnya. Both places were reported to the authorities by local residents who had discovered them. Shabalkin said the question of paying rewards in keeping with a Chechen Cabinet resolution is being settled.
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A member of an illegal armed group, formerly led by Arab mercenary Abu Dzeit, has been detained at the Kavkaz federal checkpoint on the Chechen-Ingush border, spokesman for the federal forces in the North Caucasus Maj. Gen. Ilya Shabalkin told Interfax on Sunday. Shabalkin said Abu Dzeit was killed in a federal sweep operation in February, 2005. The criminal group lead by Abu Dzeit has carried out a series of large-scale terrorist attacks against civilians in Ingushetia and Chechnya, and was involved in an attack against Ingushetia in June, 2004 which left more than 100 civilians, policemen and federal servicemen dead. Investigators are working to establish whether the detained guerilla was involved in the attack or any other serious crimes committed in Chechnya and Ingushetia. (more...)

Chechen history

Chechnya | Questions and answers

This pamphlet is about Chechnya, a Russian territory which has witnessed the most tragic events over the past decade. The book is the latest update on the Chechen Republic . And this is very important, since a lack of fresh and accurate information about events in Chechnya generates many distorted conceptions and rumours - both within and outside Russia . For example, that Chechen society is allegedly inherently alien to Russia , that pro-Russian elements in the republic are marginalised; and lastly, that Russian power structures are fighting the Chechen people, rather than armed bandit groups. The reality, however, is that only with the return of the legitimate authorities are villages and towns being restored, children going to school for the first time in many years, and pensioners receiving long-forgotten pensions, i.e. a social rebirth is underway. Lying ahead are a referendum on a new Chechen constitution, and parliamentary and presidential elections. These votes will be held, despite continued attempts by bandit groups and their leaders to scupper the process of normalisation in the republic, the latest terrorist act being the bombing of the republican government building. The war being waged by Chechen separatists against federal forces and more often than not against their own co-citizens is by no means a "national liberation struggle of the Chechen people", but an episode in the overall offensive by international terrorism on the fundamental principles of modern civilisation. The facts show that being a part of the Russian Federation in no way threatens the Chechen Republic 's cultural identity, the free use of its own language, and preaching Islam. On the contrary, it was during de facto "independence" from Russia that the Chechen people suffered a humanitarian tragedy on an unprecedented scale. Hostage-taking, the slave trade and plundering came to form the economic basis of the new regime, while chaos and war became the form of its political existence. We want to emphasise once more: Chechnya is part of Russia , geographically, politically and civilisation-wise. So a hypothetical triumph of radical Islamism on its territory would be anti-historical. Such a development would signify the establishment in the midst of Europe of a Taliban-like regime, with all ensuing consequences for the international community. The corporate author - journalists of the Russian Information Agency Novosti - have attempted to be as brief as possible on providing answers to the most-often aked questions (above all posed by a foreign audience) about the Chechen issue. Hence the book's title: " Chechnya : Questions and Answers". It draws heavily on information provided by various Russian ministries and departments that in one or another way are involved in normalising life in the republic.
Russian Information Agency Novosti
(in detail ...)

Chechnya is to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Great Victory

The 60th anniversary of the Victory in World War Two will be widely and triumphantly celebrated in all parts of Russia. From reading matter posted on this site you will be able to learn about preparations for this glorious jubilee in the Chechen Republic, about its World War Two veterans and about the help and assistance the Republic provides to the veterans.
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Issue 286
05.05.05

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

05 May 2005  A Project to Restore Chechen Museums Underway
A representative delegation of the Russian UNESCO commission and of the Russian International committee of Museum Councils visited Chechnya recently. Members of the delegation made a fact-finding tour of Chechen National Museum and its affiliates. According to Vitaly Remizov chief of the Russian International Committee of Museum Councils, he was in profound shock over what they saw. Therefore he suggested taking immediate steps to restore the once largest in the Northern Caucasus museum in Grozny and its affiliates. Above all, he believes it is necessary to use the UNESCO money, which amounts to 25,000 to create what he called informational space for all Chechen museums. As it turned out the republican museums have no channels of communication and no technical equipment. It is impossible in the modern world to work under such conditions. At a recent conference of museum officials in Russia, it was decided to provide all Chechen museum employees upgrade sessions in all of Russias best museums and to assume all the costs on themselves. On May, 16, the Leo Tolstoi state museum in Moscow will become the venue for a press-conference of Chechen museum employees in order to draw public attention to the issue. They will be also provided with specialized equipment. Vitaly Remizov believes that it is also necessary to stage an action under the aegis Russian Museums to Chechen Museums. The gist of the action is to remit to Chechen colleagues earning from the same of tickets for one day by each Russian museum. According to Mr. Remizov, this action has found support among museums in many countries. Up to the last moment Chechen museums received support only from the Moscow Tretyakov Gallery. Two years ago it called for money donations for the restoration of the Chechen National Museum and held expositions on its premises of Chechen national artists and its young painters. At the present moment a project of a museum complex in Grozny is being developed with sponsorship of Russias leading arts gallery. But as Vitaly Remizov believes, state cultural institutions are incapable of providing proper financial support. He called on members of the Chechen diaspora, some of whom are very wealthy people, to take up the mission of restoring the cultural heritage of their native people, to set up a board of regents on the restoration of museums in the Chechen Republic.
(more News from Chechnya...)

04 May 2005  Member of Abu-Dzeit's terrorist group detained in Chechnya
A member of the recently killed Arab mercenary AbuDzeit's terrorist group has been detained in Chechnya. The 27-year-old resident of Nazran, the largest city in Ingushetia (a republic neighboring on Chechnya on the west) was detained at the Kavkaz federal check point, the regional headquarters for the North Caucasus anti-terror operation reports. "Preliminary investigation revealed that the detainee was a member of the terrorist group under the command of Arab mercenary Abu-Dzeit, who was killed in February," the report says. Abu-Dzet's group perpetrated a number of terror acts against the population of Ingushetia and Chechnya. For instance, "the group took part in the assault on Ingushetia in June 2004, killing over 100 locals, law enforcement and federal forces officers", the HQ said. Currently, investigators are verifying whether the detainee was involved in that event and other serious crimes against the population of North Caucasian republics of the Russian Federation.
(more News from Chechnya...)

03 May 2004  Nine militants detained in Chechnya in two days
Nine militants have been detained in Chechnya in during the past two days, spokesman for the regional headquarters of the anti-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus Maj. Gen. Ilya Shabalkin told Interfax on Monday. Shabalkin said the detentions were the result of a number of energetic efforts meant to guarantee public security and neutralize militants. He said public support facilitated the success of the pinpoint actions. Three of the militants were seized in Grozny. Two of them are suspected of organizing and perpetrating terrorist acts against the authorities and federal troops in the Vedeno and Shali districts. The third, a resident of Urus-Martan district, was part of a militant group in the Urus-Martan and Achkhoi-Martan districts. Shabalkin said one more militant was captured near Grozny. A resident of Starye Atagi and a member of Isa Sadayev's armed group, he is suspected of several crimes, including armed attacks on civilians. Five more militants were captured in operations in Petropavlovskaya, Novoterskoye, Gudermes and Urus-Martan. Detectives say they are suspected of involvement in terrorist attacks, and shooting at servicemen, Shabalkin said. He said the situation in Chechnya during the weekend was generally calm due to the the precautions taken by the authorities to guarantee public order and security.
(more News from Chechnya...)

Russia - Chechnya

Chechen culture

The fifth filial of Mikhail Y. Lermontov - the great Russian poets museum opened in an ancient house in the village of Paraboch of the Shelkovki Region in Chechnya . The house is nearly 250 years old and it belonged to a local landlord, retired general Akim Khastatov whose wife Yekaterina Stolypina was a distant relative to Lermontovs grandmother Yelizaveta Arsenyevna. The latter visited Khastatovs estate several times. And she took along young Mikhail, whom she raised after his mothers death. In 1837 during his exile to the Caucasus, Lermontov revisited the home of his relatives. In 1841, he went there for the last time shortly before his death. The building has been well preserved. In 1990 restoration work was begun to make a museum of the great poet. But the events of the past decade postponed all restoration work. Fortunately the building wasnt damaged in the course of hostilities. But it is in need of maintenance. The most important thing that its internal architecture, the living room, window shutters and certain items that the poet may have touched, have all been preserved. In 2004 museum personnel was formed. Svetlana Temirbulatova a learned person and a known philologist in Chechnya was appointed the museums director. The employees will be allocated part of the museum as a working area. The employees will engage in search of items and materials of Lermontovs time and complete the museums exposition. As soon as the building is passed over into the Chechen Culture Ministry care, restoration and maintenance work will get underway. Later on it will receive its first visitors.
(chechen culture ...)

Chechen tarditions

The book "Vainakh Ethics" by Edi Isaev is an utmost important work at a time when the life in Chechnya is returning to normal. Edi Isaev is a historian, Professor at the Chechen State University, writer and publicist directs his book to youth. In introduction he emphasizes: "The norm of Vainakh ethics is the code of wise truths of people that reflects their ideals." The book is educational. It contains the ideas on ethics by thinkers of various people and various times from Epicurus and Confucius A.S. Makarenko and L.N.Toltoi. The second chapter is devoted to ethic norms of Chechens. The third chapter considers in detail traditional family ethic code. The final chapter is devoted to Islamic ethic norms. Materials from the book Vainakh Ethics by Edi Isaev is devoted to customs and traditions of Chechens.
(more about chechen traditions...)

Chechen cuisine

"The Chechens, like the rest of the highlanders, avoid extremes in their eating and drinking habits. What they usually eat is chureks or corn bread with mutton lard spread on it, and wheat stew with lard in it; water is their basic refreshment." "...Unleavend wheat or barley bread baked on charcoal, milk and cheese constitute their daily menu; meat is eaten, very rarely, by the richest of the Chechens." That was written about the Chechen eating habits in the 19th century. And it was not until the late 19th century that many vegetables grown in Europe - tomatoes, cabbage, radish - had found their way to the kitchen gardens of mountainous Chechnya. Chechen farming units have, since times immemorial, been self-sufficient, with only spices and sweetmeats being bought at the market. And, although they have become familiar with the cuisines of many other ethnic communities, the Chechen women cherish the very special culinary traditions of their own.
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