The Beginning of an Unending Genocide
1. Massive deportation
In 1944, Stalin, the then leader of the Soviet Union, had the entire Chechen population deported to Siberia and Kazakhstan. They were only allowed to return home 13 years later. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, nationalist leaders of Chechnya declared the republic's independence, which started it all.
2. First war
The first war between Chechnya …show more content…
Second war
This round of military conflict happened between 1999 and 2000. It started when Russian military invaded Chechnya, in what is supposed to be an “anti-terrorist operation”. Naturally, Chechen fighters fought back and launched terrorist attacks in Russia. But the Russian troops managed to take over Gronazy, where they fought, abused and killed more Chechens. Militants, on the other hand, killed 54 people when they launched five suicide bomb attacks on Russian security …show more content…
It was also at this time when a mass grave filled with mutilated bodies was discovered.
5. Suicide attacks
The years following 2001 was fraught with attacks from both sides of the fence. In 2002, rebels from Chechnya seized a theatre in Moscow and held hostage over 700 people. When Russian forces subdued the militants by using an unknown gas, all 41 rebels were killed, including 129 out of the 700 hostages.
In May 2003, 59 people were killed in a government complex in Northern Chechnya, when two suicide bombers crashed a truckload of explosives into the building. A month after that, 16 people were killed at a concert in Moscow during a suicide attack. The year 2004 was even worse for both Chechens and Russians, with continued attacks from both sides.
6. Killed by landmines
Since 1994, 700 people have been killed by landmines left from the conflict between Chechnya and Russia, according to UNICEF. This further increased the death toll, when added to the number of people killed during the 10-year anti-terror operation of Russia in