Free Chechnya Radio station

You can listen to Free Chechnya Radio station from 6 AM to 12 PM Moscow time on a frequency of 594 kHz on the medium wave band and on a frequency of 171 kHz on the long wave band. The programme is created with the involvement of the Ministry for culture and mass communication of the Russian Federation.
(live broadcasting......)

Chechen economics

The new Russian land law came into force on January 1, 2007. It envisages fresh provisions aimed at forests protection and at enhancing effectiveness of the use of land throughout the country. The same problem is of current importance for Chechnya as well. Suffice to say that during the military operations about 50 thousand hectares of the republics 370 thousand hectares of land were damaged Currently the damaged parts of the forests are being restored and from 2005 to 2006 young trees were planted in over 550 hectares; more than 5 thousand hectares have been rid of military debris and cleared of mines. Russian servicemen are helping Chechnya in the arduous task of forest cleaning and regeneration, but 7 thousand hectares are still to be cleared of mines. A sign of the rapid rebuilding of Chechnya has been last years restoration of the dendrology park. Now it boasts more than 300 rare plants, shrubs and trees brought to the region from various parts of Russia.
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Ethnic Russians in Chechen history

Russian culture as part of Chechen culture

History has ruled that the Russian cultural tradition make an important component of Chechen culture. It is made evident by the language spoken four or five centuries ago, when growing trade encouraged contacts between ethnic Russians and the Veinakh people. The Veinakhs settled to live side by side with Russian Cossacks on the fertile land at the foot of the nountains. The Chechen "punt," "kiyla," "ishkap," "chamda," "cheinik," "sukhar," stand for the Russian words "pud," i.e. 16 kilograms, "kilogram," "shkap," i.e."a bookcase" or "a wardrobe," "chemodan," i.e."a suitcase," "chainik," i.e."a teapot," and "sukhar," i.e."dry bread." It is on various occasions that Veinakhs met with Cossacks but, whatever their end, early interethnic contacts enriched the local cultural tradition and contributed to the advance of the Terek region. An unidentified chronicler says ethnic Chechens and Russians "quarreled and mended relations as often as any neighbors did, stole each other's cattle and gave each other gifts of fast-running steeds, exchanged weapons and sold bread, kidnapped young girls and sat down together at wedding celebrations, were blood enemies and sworn brothers." The well-known "Lay Of The Most Daring Ahmar Of Avtury" traced a new line in Chechen literature: two braves - a Chechen and a Russian - meet to make friends instead of fighting each other because a fight would surely leave one of them dead. Chechen ethnographer Umalat Laudayev says that "the flatland Chechens and Ingushis are quick to cash in on their advantageous position: they replace their wooden plowshares with Russian-styled steel ones; do the right kind of farming and compare favorably in this respect against all the neighboring peoples." (more...)

Issue 427
20.01.07

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

20 January 2007  The East and West battalions have carried out assignment with honour
For the last two months 55 servicemen from the East and West battalions of the 42nd motorized rifle division stationed in Chechnya protected 250 highway engineers of the 100th special bridge construction battalion of the Russian Defense ministry. Earlier, the same two battalions helped restore bridges destroyed during the war in Lebanon in 2006 and displayed excellent combat and human qualities, drawing no adverse comment from any quarter. The Chechen servicemen established in Lebanon good mutual understanding with engineers from the 100th special bridge construction battalion, though initially there was discernible prejudice against them. The bridge builders were proud about being protected by the Chechen servicemen, they requested for a group photograph with them and praised Chechen custom and traditions. Russian embassy officials frequently visited the Chechen servicemen, bringing gifts to them. They also interacted with the locals through a relative of one of the servicemen, who is married to a Lebanese doctor. All the Chechen servicemen have received testimonials, while the four men have received awards from the Russian Defense minister. Servicemen from the East and West battalions believe that they have demonstrated to everybody that Chechens can be trusted and that all Chechens should not be tarred with the same bandit brush. They are ready to carry out any order by the commanders of the battalion and division and are ready to go to any hot spot in the world. On their return to Gudermes the Chechen servicemen were feted at a special gathering, at which the Chechen leaders and chiefs of the 42nd division congratulated them on successfully carried out assignments.
(more News from Chechnya...)

20 January 2007  Chechnya anti-terrorism center officers accused of robberies
A criminal case against anti-terrorism center officers in Chechnya accused of committing 21 robberies in Grozny has been passed on to the North Caucasus republic's Supreme Court, police said Friday. The gang, which was active in Grozny between December 2005 and May 2006, attacked apartments at night. A total of 59 people have been identified as victims of the gang, with total damages estimated at more than 2 million rubles ($75,400). "During the investigation, it was established that an officer of the Chechen Republic's anti-terrorism center set up an armed group from among his colleagues and acquaintances in December 2005. "During their attacks, the bandits used Kalashnikov assault rifles, Makarov handguns, ammunition, military uniforms and equipment provided to them by the anti-terrorism center," police said. A police spokesman said the bandits would announce themselves as officers with the organized crime department, charged with checking passports. He said they would burst into apartments and rob city residents of household appliances, jewels and cash, beating anyone who resisted. RIA Novosti
(more News from Chechnya...)

19 January 2007  546 militants respond to amnesty call in North Caucasus - official
A total of 546 militants have responded to an amnesty and returned to peaceful life, a representative of the National Counterterrorist Committee told Interfax on Monday. "Four of them were on the federal wanted list, about 200 took part in acts of sabotage and terrorism, and nearly everyone was an illegal armed group member. There are three female accomplices to militants amongst the surrendered. They were preparing to become suicide bombers," he said. The majority of the surrendered militants are aged from 20 to 45. The youngest is 16 years old and the oldest is 75, the source said.
(more News from Chechnya...)

Russia - Chechnya

Chechen history

The Pulse publishing house in Moscow published on the History of Chechnya in the 19-20th Centuries. Its authors are renowned scholars of history Y.Z. Akhmadov and E.K. Khasmagomadov. This book represents a thematic continuation of research by Y. Akhmadov The History of Chechnya from Ancient Times to the end of the 18th Century (Peace Be on Your House, 2001). We posted an abridged version of the book on our Web-site.
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