1994 was marked by such an event as the First Chechen War. The precarious balance reached in the very beginning of the 90s was broken in 1993, at that time the powers of parliaments were sharply cut in Grozny and Moscow, strengthening the presidential power. As a result, Chechnya split into clans on a geographical basis. An anti-Dudaev coalition was formed, under whose control the northern regions were located. In Moscow, the same events led to the capture of the White House.
The economic situation was unfavorable for Moscow. Then the idea arose that the First Chechen war could be a good incentive for development. At the same time, relations between Russia and Chechnya were exacerbated by the problem of transit of Caspian oil. The oil pipeline was supposed to be carried through the territory of Chechnya, and it was extremely important for Moscow who exactly would take the lead.
In December 93, the Provisional Council of Chechnya is created, which is headed by the Autokhranov. The initiative for its creation came from Moscow, and it was presented in the media as a real alternative to the Dudaev regime. Preparations for hostilities began in April 94th. The first Chechen war was about to begin.
At that time, a number of hostage-taking buses took place. Terrorists demanded money, weapons and a helicopter. The bandits went to Chechnya, where they were successfully caught by Russian law enforcement agencies. Later, the Chechen leadership was accused of intentionally organizing terrorist attacks.
In the summer of '94, the anti-Dudaev opposition intensified, among which clashes also began. In August, the head of the Provisional Council, Avturkhanov, will ask Yeltsin to recognize this body as the only legal one and give him support. A civil war broke out in Chechnya . But the opposing forces were equal. Neither side could prevail. That is how the First Chechen War began, the reasons for which lie in the field of political and economic benefits.
Then the Russian government provided 40 tanks to storm Grozny. The result of this operation was deplorable: the first local infantry came under attack and was defeated, and the tanks reached the center of Grozny, where they were shot from grenade launchers. As a result, 50 Russian tankers were captured, telling the cameras about this operation of the Russian special services. In addition, a lot of military equipment was lost that was captured by the Chechen government.
Captured tankers were later returned during the negotiations. Russia had the opportunity to resolve other disagreements peacefully, but the stake was made on force. In December 94th, Russian troops began to enter Chechnya. The first Chechen war was unexpected for Russian soldiers; they were not ready to use weapons against local residents. But they met resistance everywhere. The eastern group was stopped by Akkin Chechens; in Ingushetia, the western group was stopped. Real combat clashes began when troops had to force break through settlements.
Without serious problems, the Mozdk and Kizlyar groups advanced. Destroyed aircraft did not interfere with them, the landscape was favorable, the population was pro-Russian. When approaching Grozny, the Mozdok group faced resistance and got stuck in battles for settlements for a week.
Groupings surrounded Grozny, and on December 26, the leadership issued an order to storm the city. At the same time, the military leadership did not take into account the lesson with the tankers, and the scenario of the event was practically repeated. Only several times more armored vehicles were used. Chechens prepared for such a turn. The armored vehicles again remained without cover and was shot by grenade fire. The western group was stopped, the eastern managed to retreat. Terrible losses brought the northern grouping of the First Chechen War. Losses amounted to 85 killed and 72 missing.
The northeastern group was surrounded and blocked, but no order was given to retreat. Then the general grouping “North” was created, headed by Rokhlin, and “West” under the command of Babichev. Both groups took the direction to the presidential palace. But the change of tactics did not produce much effect. Long street fights began. The Chechens held Grozny with reinforcements from the south. The presidential palace was taken only three weeks later.
Gradually, the advantage was on the Russian side. The new group blocked the city from the south, as a result of which the Chechens began to retreat. But the city was still not under the full control of the federal forces. A few days later a weekly truce was declared.
The first Chechen war, the reasons for which were not as obvious as the media presented them, drove the Russian troops to exhaustion. On February 20, military operations were resumed. Chechen troops gradually left the city, and the Russian army was not able to stop them. After that, hostilities spilled over into the territory of Eastern and Western Chechnya.