GRACHEV, GROZNY & THE GUERRILLAS.

The article discusses the first assault on the breakaway capital of Chechnya, Grozny, by the Russian federal armed forces in December 1994. The Russian forces, led by General Pavel Grachev, expected a quick victory but were met with a well-organized and experienced rebel defense. The Chechen fighters, many of whom were former Soviet soldiers, used their knowledge of the city's streets to their advantage, attacking the Russians from rooftops and trapping them in narrow avenues. The battle resulted in significant casualties and destruction, with thousands of civilians killed and the city left in ruins. The conflict eventually shifted to a guerrilla campaign in the countryside, marked by war crimes committed by both sides. The war ended in 1996 with the Khasavyurt Accord, but the humiliation of the failed campaign in Chechnya had lasting effects on Russia's political landscape. [Extracted from the article]