Lessons from Chechnya: The Second Chechen War

August 8, 2017November 12, 2025

This continues the series of articles about the Russian-Chechen wars. See the previous publication here: first part and second part. The previous article told about events known as the “First Chechen War”. Already then it became clear that some general rules are not inherent to the Russian army in general and Russian military in particular. Yet the Second Chechen War would prove these patterns even more definitively. Besides the above aspects of applying torture, extrajudicial executions, hostage-taking, and other things, this is confirmed by one more very indicative fact.

All detachments of Ichkeria’s armed forces were equipped with Russian-made weapons, except for communication means — because Russian radio equipment was frankly bad. Small arms, automatic weapons, barrel artillery, mortars, and more were simply bought from Russian military. Things went so far that Russian officers worked on order. They supplied any ammunition load, any components, and even the newest samples of special small arms that were only in elite special forces units.

Chechens fairly believed that the main distinguishing feature of Russian military is meanness. Chechens calculated well those motives that move Russian military. They turned out to be greed and craving for animal and boundless violence. Some Russians went to Chechnya for money, some to rob, and some to trade army property. The cessation of hostilities removed this filth from Chechnya’s territory. But this didn’t end there and couldn’t end there.

The Next Invasion

The last invasion of Russian troops into Chechnya occurred already under putin’s leadership. He was then entering the highest power. He really needed this war because he couldn’t buy himself the first chair with anything else. But putin had no right to lose this new war like in 1996. Most Russian citizens sighed with relief after the war’s end. Starting a new war wouldn’t have success among the masses. Therefore, putin simulated the invasion deep into Russia by several terrorist groups. They staged a series of terrorist attacks, including explosions of residential buildings.

They again assembled military groupings and a new carnage began, but already with two clear and significant differences.

The first is the emphasized ignoring of elementary rules of conducting combat actions. Roughly speaking, street fights and classic variants of clearing settlements were practically excluded. Now, if there was suspicion that armed resistance awaits Russians somewhere, the entire settlement was simply leveled to the ground by aviation and artillery. Moreover, Russians abundantly used prohibited cluster munitions, phosphorus, and even vacuum bombs. Later, Russians will use this tactic in Syria and Ukraine. War locations change, but the signature remains the same and easily recognizable.

But Chechens very quickly changed tactics and switched to guerrilla warfare mode. Shooting at areas simply makes no sense there. As taught at the General Staff academy, it’s impossible to win a guerrilla war by military means.

Divide and Conquer

Then another technique was applied that turned out to be much more dangerous and effective. For successful application, putin needed to decisively clean up Russian media to be able to hang “hero” or “terrorist” labels. Without this, nothing would work.

Therefore, he simply destroyed any remnants of democracy in Russia. After this, he launched the principle “Divide and rule”. Part of the Chechen elite received an offer it couldn’t refuse. It included forgiveness of any, even the most vile crimes, and even subsequent heroization. In addition, fantastic sums of payoffs. All this was offered for loyalty personally to putin.

Putin wouldn’t have been able to achieve in Chechnya by military means what came out. Internecine struggle turned out to be much more effective. Putin won the prize he so desired, but for this he killed democracy. Essentially, he put Russia in the role it had in the 17th century — Moscow pays tribute to Grozny.

The Lesson for Ukraine and the World

This is precisely the lesson for both Ukraine and the entire civilized world. The First Chechen War and the Second Chechen War lessons are clear. Putin pays huge money to media representatives, political figures, and parties so they arrange the same thing Kadyrov did in Chechnya.

Therefore, we must take into account Chechnya’s lessons and clearly understand: Everyone who talks about “civil war,” about “Nazis in Ukraine,” about oligarchs’ war, and about other similar things that resonate with Kremlin fairy tales — are enemies. These are not people whose opinions can be considered and whose wishes should be taken into account. This is the enemy who openly works for the Kremlin and receives their profit for it or hopes for profit in case of Ukraine’s occupation.

Also remember that real Chechens fight in the Armed Forces of Ukraine so that the enemy’s hair rises in their veins. They have blood claims against traitors of their people. When information about Kadyrovites arrives, a group of Chechen specialists often goes to the occupiers’ rear.