One of the most tragic moments in modern Russian history is the explosion of houses in Moscow in 1999. Hundreds of the lives of ordinary citizens of Russia were claimed by this terrible attack, but many questions related to the tragedy remain unanswered. A huge number of versions of the incident are being put forward, from completely realistic to completely fantastic. Let's try to figure out what caused the bombings in Moscow in 1999, and who are the culprits of this tragedy.
Previous events
In order to understand what caused these terrible events, you need to return to 1999. The explosions in residential buildings in Moscow are inextricably linked with the history of that period.
This year was marked by many turning points in the development of the Russian Federation. It was then that Russia received the new Chairman of the Government, who in the future became president - Vladimir Putin. It happened in August. Vladimir Putin initially showed himself to be a person who knows how to do better than speak. At the same time, in liberal circles, he was mistrusted as a former KGB officer. The bombings of houses in Moscow (1999) and Putin, with the light hands of reporters, will subsequently be repeatedly mentioned in the media, and the connection between the events and Vladimir Vladimirovich will be different each time. However, the press is the press, why be surprised. However, we were silently distracted.
Another very significant event in 1999 was the resumption of the military conflict in the North Caucasus, which, after the signing of the Khasavyurt Accords in 1996, was in a frozen stage. But in the same August month, two days before Putin was appointed Prime Minister, a powerful group of Chechen fighters led by Shamil Basayev and Khattab invaded Dagestan. The Russian Armed Forces successfully rebuffed and transferred the fighting directly to the territory of Chechnya. Thus began the Second Chechen War. It was this event, according to the official version, that provoked the bombings of houses in Moscow. 1999 was marked by another event, namely, the departure of Boris Yeltsin from the presidency due to health reasons and the transfer of authority to Vladimir Putin. But this happened already at the end of the year, that is, after the terrorist attacks.
So, with the backstory is over, we proceed directly to the description of how the tragic events of September 1999 unfolded.
First attack
The bombing of houses in Moscow in 1999 was not the first terrorist attack in a series of similar incidents that shocked Russia in September 1999. The first tragedy occurred in the small Dagestan city of Buinaksk.
So, on September 4, near a five-story building, where the families of the Russian military lived, a car filled with explosives was blown up. As a result of the terrorist attack, 64 people were killed, of whom almost a third were children, and 146 people were injured of varying severity. Two entrances were destroyed in the house itself.
But this attack, as it turned out, only preceded even more tragic events that occurred in the same month in Moscow.
The explosion on Guryanova street
The bombing of houses in Moscow in 1999 was opened by a terrorist attack on Guryanova Street, which occurred four days after the events in Buinaksk, namely, late on September 8.
This time the nine-story building suffered. Two seconds before midnight, an explosion sounded in it, the power of which was 350 kg in TNT equivalent. It occurred due to the detonation of explosives laid on the ground floor. Two porches of the house were completely destroyed. In addition, the structures of the neighboring high-rise building are substantially damaged. Later it was completely demolished by repair services, as it represented a danger to both residents and people on the street. On the site of both houses, new high-rise buildings were later erected.
The blast killed 106 people this time, and 690 were injured.
Kashira highway explosion
Meanwhile, on September 13, there were new house bombings in Moscow (1999). Guryanova was not the only street in the capital that experienced a terrorist attack. A new explosion occurred in an eight-story building on Kashirskoye Shosse.
This time, it was not separate entrances that suffered, but the whole house was almost completely destroyed. This was due to the fact that the structure was made of brick. Killed 124 people, seven more were injured.
The population of the capital and the whole country stirred up explosions of houses in Moscow (1999). The Kashirskoye highway was marked by the largest number of victims of similar events in Russia, although the explosive power was inferior to that which was laid in the house on Guryanova Street, and amounted to about 300 kg in TNT equivalent. As mentioned above, the main reason for the greater number of victims with less charge power was the technical features of the building structure.
Another attack occurred on September 16 in another Russian city - Volgodonsk. He claimed the lives of eighteen people. Although this tragedy did not happen in Moscow, it is a continuation of the chain of explosions that shocked Russia in September 1999. The incident in Volgodonsk closes the chain of terrorist acts of the period under consideration.
Effects
Explosions of apartment buildings in Moscow (1999) stirred up the whole of Russia and the world. The consequences were the most tragic. As a result of the attacks in the capital (not counting other cities of the country), 230 people died, another 697 were injured of varying severity.
In addition, one eight-story building was actually wiped off the face of the earth, and two porches were destroyed on the nine-story building. Another building received significant structural damage. As you can see, the explosion of houses in Moscow (1999) led to rather tragic and devastating consequences. The addresses of buildings whose residents suffered as a result of the attacks are as follows:
- st. Guryanova, d.19;
- st. Guryanova, d.17;
- Kashirskoe highway, 6.
The reaction of the authorities was not long in coming. Immediately after the first house explosion in Moscow (1999), an official investigation of the incident by law enforcement agencies was launched. In addition, one of the consequences of the attacks can be considered the intensification of the actions of Russian security forces in the North Caucasus, directed against Chechen and Dagestan militants and terrorists.
Explosion Causes
The explosion of houses in Moscow in 1999 from the very beginning of the press and the authorities were primarily associated with the renewed armed conflict in the North Caucasus. Later, an official investigation confirmed this version.
Yes, and the terrorists themselves did not particularly hide it. This, for example, is confirmed by the statement made on September 14 by the leader of the Islamist movement Ansar al-Sharia, in which he spoke out in favor of the attacks, and also linked them to the Russian Caucasians' revenge for shelling in Chechnya and Dagestan. At the same time, the radical leader of the militants, Shamil Basayev, recognized as an international terrorist, declared his non-involvement in these bloody events. But the other leader of the extremists Khattab just the day before made a statement that he would fight not only with the Russian power structures, but with the whole people.
Investigation
The official criminal case, which was intended to investigate the explosion of houses in Moscow (1999), was opened on September 9, that is, the day after the tragedy on Guryanova Street. Already in the same month, a circle of suspects was outlined, most of which were immediately taken into custody.
In the course of the investigation, a large number of evidence was found that convicted the suspects. In addition, the investigation revealed a number of criminal acts on the part of law enforcement officials who turned a blind eye to formalities that would help prevent a tragedy. However, of course, they did not know about the ultimate goals of the terrorists, but, nevertheless, given the general criminal orientation of their actions, they received prison sentences.
Conclusions of the investigation
So, we will pass to the main thing. Who made the bombing of houses in Moscow in 1999? According to the investigation, this was a clearly planned action, having customers and direct executors.
As a result of the investigation, it turned out that the international terrorist organization Islamic Institute "Caucasus", headed by Khattab and Abu Umar, was the structure that ordered and financed the bombings of residential buildings in Moscow (1999). The attack was directly committed by members of the extremist group "Karachaevsky Jamaat."
It is striking how these attacks were clearly planned. They have been preparing for them for more than one month. In order for the preparation not to attract attention, even a fictitious company Brand-2 LLC was registered, which rented premises in those houses where it was planned to produce explosions. The fact that, after the first terrorist attack in Moscow, law enforcement officers failed to prevent the second, even knowing the likely danger, once again is evidence of the serious approach of the organizers and performers to solving the task. Everything was thought out to the smallest detail, contacts were established with people who were involuntarily forced to become accomplices of the crime, not even knowing what their actions could lead to. At the same time, the main purpose of the terrorist operation was kept in strict confidence, which is quite unusual for such extremist organizations as the Karachaev Jamaat.
Punishment
Most of the people who organized and carried out the bombing of houses in Moscow (1999), the FSB with the help of other law enforcement agencies managed to establish. They were mainly representatives of the North Caucasian nationalities (Karachais, Dagestanis, etc.), as well as Arabs. Some of them were detained by employees of the Russian law enforcement agencies, others were arrested abroad, and then extradited to Russia, others were destroyed during special operations by special services, and others died in other circumstances. Only a few managed to escape punishment, but they also had to hide and constantly be in fear that the hand of the law would overtake them.
Persons who directly participated in the organization of the bombings in Moscow are A. Dekkushev, H. Abbaev, Yu. Krymshamkhalov, D. Saytakov, R. Akhmyarov, A. Gochiyaev. All of them, except the last, are currently either killed or are serving a life sentence of imprisonment. Achimez Gochiyaev, who was directly involved in organizing the attacks, is currently on the international wanted list. According to unconfirmed reports, he is currently hiding in Turkey, although there has not been reliable information about him since 2002. So it’s quite possible that Achimez Gochiyaev is no longer alive.
Kara overtook those who are considered direct customers of the committed terrorist attacks. So, the terrorist leader Khattab was liquidated by the Russian special services in 2002, and his assistant Abu Umar - in 2001. Both of them were ethnic Arabs and took an active part in organizing the struggle of the Chechen separatists against the Russian Federation. Khattab and Abu Umar were posthumously convicted by a Russian court of ordering terrorist attacks that occurred in Moscow in 1999.
In general, the court confirmed the other conclusions of the investigation about the involvement of individuals and organizations in the terrorist attacks that shocked the capital and other settlements of the Russian Federation at the end of the last millennium. Yusuf Krymshamkhalov and Adam Dekkushev are currently serving life sentences in connection with the 1999 attacks.
Among those who could not be detained, but managed to be eliminated by the Russian special services or other law enforcement agencies, Ravil Akhmyarov, Denis Saytakova, Hakim Abayev should be named. Timur Batchaev, who was the main person involved in the explosions case in Volgodonsk, was killed by Georgian police . At the same time, the Georgian security forces managed to detain Yusuf Krymshamkhalov, who was later extradited to Russia to serve a life sentence.
It should be noted that it was a matter of honor for the Russian government to punish the perpetrators of the bombings of houses in Moscow (1999), and Putin V.V., as well as other government officials, contributed in every way to the proceedings and even stimulated the activity of investigative actions to identify and detain those responsible. The government understood that if it could not punish the terrorists, then the people would simply stop believing in him, feeling helpless against the threat of extremism. It was a clear and timely organization of investigative actions and the adoption of urgent measures to capture the criminals that played an important role in the fact that the Russian people began to associate their own government with a really working mechanism that could ensure compliance with the law throughout the country.
The memory of the attacks
The memory of the terrorist attacks that occurred in Moscow and in some other cities of Russia in 1999, still excites citizens. Of course, few people want a repetition of these bloody events, in addition, many people fear that this could happen in the future, so do not forget the past. The innocent victims of the attacks, whose lives were taken away by the explosions, deserve to be remembered in Russia.
Already in 2000, a memorial sign was erected on the site of the attack on Guryanov Street. In addition, in memory of those who died in the same year, the construction of a chapel church began. The construction was completed in 2004. It was funded by donations from both ordinary citizens and commercial entities.
The victims of the explosions on the Kashirskoye highway did not remain forgotten. A memorial park dedicated to their memory was laid out near the site of the tragedy.
The significance of the explosions in Moscow
The explosion of houses in Moscow (1999) had a very great resonance in society. Photos from the scene of the tragedy spread around all the leading television channels and newspapers. Since the persons involved in the criminal case were representatives of North Caucasian nationalities (mainly Karachais and Dagestanis), as expected, the indignation of Russian citizens was directed in their direction.
In addition, the attacks voluntarily or involuntarily contributed to the fact that the majority of Russian citizens spoke out for active hostilities in the Caucasus against militants and terrorists, as well as the government’s course. The Russian authorities have received the support of most countries of the international community, including the United States of America. If until then many states perceived the war in Chechnya as the liberation struggle of the Chechen people, then after the attacks in Moscow and other Russian cities, North Caucasian rebels began to be associated with representatives of international terrorism.
At the same time, it should be noted that the explosions could provoke a backlash, for example, convincing the people of the authorities' inability to protect them from extremists, which would further destabilize the situation. If the organizers of the explosion, as the investigation revealed, were the leaders of the North Caucasian militants, then they were counting on this, as well as on intimidating the population.
Be that as it may, but it was precisely after the attacks that Russia entered the active phase of the fight against terrorism and extremism in the North Caucasus. Moreover, the actions of Russian law enforcement agencies were relatively successful. This allowed in 2009 to declare the successful completion of the counter-terrorist operation.
Despite the official conclusions of the investigation and the court verdict to those who were involved in organizing the attacks, many details of the case are still a mystery and raise questions both among the press and among ordinary people. Will all the mysteries of these tragic events be solved? Most likely, if this happens, then not in the near future. But, in spite of everything, we must remember the dead people who became hostages of political interests.