Russia’s Wars in Chechnya 1994–2009 (Essential Histories) by Mark Galeotti (PDF)

Description

Featuring specially drawn full-color mapping and drawing upon a wide range of sources, this succinct account explains the origins, history and consequences of Russia’s wars in Chechnya, thereby shedding new light on the history – and prospects – of that troubled region.Mark Galeotti, an expert on the conflict, traces the progress of the wars, from the initial Russian advance through to urban battles such as Grozny, and the prolonged guerrilla warfare based in the mountainous regions that is common to both wars. He assesses how the wars have torn apart the fabric of Chechen society and their impact on Russia itself, where they have influenced presidential elections and widened the gulf between the military and the rest of society. These were savage conflicts which combined at different times the characteristics of an imperial war, a civil war and a terrorist campaign. The rich tradition of banditry in Chechnya, exemplified by the disproportionately large numbers of Chechens in the Spetsnaz special forces, gave the conflict its particular character, as did the steady shift from the initial nationalism to being inspired by a wider Islamic jihad.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: About the Author Mark Galeotti is a scholar of Russian security affairs with a career spanning academia, government service and business, a prolific author and frequent media commentator. He heads the Mayak Intelligence consultancy and is an Honorary Professor at University College London’s School of Slavonic and East European Studies as well as holding fellowships with RUSI, the Council on Geostrategy and the Institute of International Relations Prague. He has been Head of History at Keele University, Professor of Global Affairs at New York University, a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and a Visiting Professor at Rutgers-Newark, Charles University (Prague) and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. He is the author of over 25 books including A Short History of Russia (Penguin, 2021) and The Weaponisation of Everything: A Field Guide to the New Way of War (Yale University Press, 2022).

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐This is a superb history that, within the usual Osprey concise format, provides a thorough summary of fifteen years of warfare in Chechnya. The author, Dr. Mark Galeotti, has written several titles on Russian military subjects, and here once again his extensive knowledge and fluid writing style make this an excellent primer on the complex conflict. He does a remarkably good job of summarizing the often shifting loyalties of numerous factions and personalities, in a struggle that included both regular and irregular warfare as well as urban terrorism. The book is especially timely now (April 2022) given current events in Ukraine. As the book makes clear, the Chechen war was one that Vladimir Putin viewed as a major personal victory for him. As such it can provide useful insights into what he may view as the template for dealing with recalcitrant breakaways from his Russian Empire.

⭐The conflicts in Chechnya are fascinating. The fifteen years that encompassed two wars (1994-96 and 1999-2009 ) provide huge lessons in asymmetrical warfare and hinted at growing Muslim militancy. To say the Russians were tested and often bested is an understatement. Their military was at a historic low point. It lacked funding, training, and discipline. Units were undermanned and inter-service and unit cohesion was nonexistent. The book suggests the military was operating on a budget at least 60% deficient.This allowed no modernization or progression in doctrine. That is why during the first war, they paid for a strict adherence to Cold War mass mechanized fighting. Meanwhile, the Chechens were innovative and determined. Chechens have historically been fierce mountaineers with a reputation as bandits and excellent guerrilla fighters. They harboured deep resentment towards Russia given Stalin had once deported their entire nation. That mass movement is known as The Exodus (Chechens now refer to Putin as Stalin). This did not stop many of them from serving in the Soviet and Russian forces and then using that expertise and knowledge in their favour.Chechens adapted their tactics including “hugging” Russian units to avoid airstrikes and setting up resistance in basements as Russian tank guns could not depress low enough to hit them. All the while, the Russians had forgot much of what they learned the hard way fighting in Afghanistan.Much of the Western powers enjoyed the fact that Russia experienced such difficulty. Unfortunately, they did not examine the conflict closely enough to get a sense of where the world was heading.Russia went through five commanders in two years in the first war and six in the latter. This lack of leadership impacted morale and failed to reward initiative. The first war came to an uneasy close but did not solve anything. It did not help that Russian refused to reparations. Reconstruction costs were pegged at $300 million. Worse off was the economy as unemployment reached 80% sowing the seeds for the next war. In that conflict, Russia did not hold back and committed three times the number of troops to pacify the republic. Galeotti nails it when he calls the wars in Chechnya “an imperial conquest, a civil war and a terrorist campaign.” The latter had several horrendous instances of large number civilian kidnappings and ham handed deadly attempts.These wars were costly to civilians with estimates of the dead ranging from 20,000 to 200,000. Russian forces peg their losses at close to 11,000 for both wars which many experts consider low. Chechen combat deaths are extremely difficult to substantiate. Regardless, it was a bloody, confusing and ruthless 15 years. This is a fine introduction to this piece of history. For a highly personal narrative, I recommend One Soldier’s War by Arkady Babchenko and Nick Allen.

⭐The book was fine although I was hoping for more information on the mechanized forces deployed by the Russians. The book did give me a lot of useful information.However, I was disappointed in the seller as the shipping took almost two weeks to come from Illinois. In the continental US, I expect something like this to come within 3-5 days.

⭐There was a marked lack of original research of any depth with regard to the actual strategic and tactical realities of the wars.

⭐A concise, though very enlightening, history of the two recent Chechen wars. It doesn’t give descriptions of weapons used or even many personal views of fhe combats that took place (it gives a brief portrait of one Russian NCO and one chechen doctor), but a bigger picture is presented, showing the previous historic facts for this conflict as well as the contemporary reasons for it happening and the way the war was conducted. The ill-fated first war and the largely successful second one, showed that the Russians were able to learn from their errors and adapt to a vicious guerrilla war, not omitting on the suffering caused to the civilian population in Chechnya itself, nor to the Russians once terrorist attacks began being made against them. Overall it’s a very good starting point for the subject and highly recommended.

⭐Good historical review, but marred by careless (or amateurish) editing: There are spelling and syntactical errors scattered throughout the text. A few sentences make no sense whatsoever. Reader, beware.

⭐Many books have been writen on this subject but this on covers the war and its after math up to recent times. Book has maps and pictures as well as the many different rebal groups that fought the russians. Book explains the after math really well and the steps that the russians took to improve their way of fighting.

⭐Educational and great read. It shows the kind of Russia of the 90s compared to what they are today and the condition they are in. Good descriptions if the key players and why the regions n is important to Russia.

⭐Excellent book. Very fast postage!The book features lots of interesting photos, maps and very clear text and explanations. Recommend it!

⭐Well written – lots of info

⭐informative and interesting

⭐Within the limits of the standard 96 page Osprey format Galeotti has provided a valuable and well written overview of Russia’s murderous involvement in Chechnya for over 200 years, with the majority of the discussion focused on the two wars of the 1990s and 2000s.These wars provide an introduction to the marginal, brutal modern Russian army. In the first war it was inept, arrogant, and murderously brutal (notably towards civilians). In the second it was methodical, less inept and murderously brutal.One is also struck by how incompetent the Chechens were in establishing a functioning state. Having won the first war they proved unable to take their polity above the level of failed Hobbesian gangster state where criminals and warlords acted as they wished (and could get with). In order to win the second war the Russians made a Faustian bargain with the most competent Chechen warlord. He would give them the facade of victory, peace, and national unity and they would let him run Chechnya as he wished, which involved a lot more killing.The fate of Ukraine is foretold in these Chechen wars.

⭐Der renommierte englische Militärverlag Osprey Publishing beschäftigt sich in seiner Serie “Essential Histories” in Band 78 mit den beiden Tschetschenien-Kriegen des neuen Russland. Der erste, unter Jelzin von Dezember 1994 bis November 1996, endete mit einer russischen Niederlage. Der zweite, unter Putin von Oktober 1999 bis April 2009, mit einem russischen Sieg. Auf 94 Seiten erfährt man dazu die wichtigsten Details, es gibt wie immer jede Menge Fotos, Kartenmaterial (z.B. zur 1. Schlacht von Grosny), eine Chronologie, eine (kurze) Bibliographie, einen Index, alles in leicht und flüssig zu lesendem Englisch. Besonders interessant die Porträts eines russischen Soldaten und eines tschetschenischen Zivilisten.Die russische Armee unter Putin lieferte im zweiten Tschetschenien-Krieg eine Blaupause für das erfolgreiche Vorgehen gegen stark bewaffnete und hochmotivierte urbane Guerillatruppen. Aus diesem Blickwinkel sind die Lehren welche die Russen dort gezogen haben, auch jetzt im Kampf gegen den IS brandaktuell. Von mir gerne fünf Sterne.

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