Russia’s Wars in Chechnya 1994–2009, Osprey Essential histories

Kylie Newton

posted on 2 months ago — updated on 2 months ago

1,601
views

In this new edition of his popular 2014 work, Mark Galeotti traces the progress of the wars in Chechnya, from the initial Russian advance through to urban battles such as Grozny, and the prolonged guerrilla warfare in the mountainous regions. Bringing the book up to date, including a revised introduction and new content on the Kadyrovtsy's role in Russia's other conflicts, Galeotti assesses how the wars have torn apart the fabric of Chechen society and their impact on Russia itself.

Written by a leading expert on modern Russia, Mark Galeotti, this is an illustrated introduction to the bitter campaigns in Chechnya.

In this new edition of his popular 2014 work, Galeotti traces the progress of the wars in Chechnya, from the initial Russian advance through to urban battles such as Grozny, and the prolonged guerrilla warfare in the mountainous regions. Bringing the book up to date, including a revised introduction and new content on the Kadyrovtsy's role in Russia's other conflicts, Galeotti assesses how the wars have torn apart the fabric of Chechen society and their impact on Russia itself.

Featuring full-colour maps and 50 new images, and drawing upon a wide range of sources, this succinct account explains the origins, history and consequences of Russia's wars in Chechnya, shedding new light on the history – and prospects – of the troubled region.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Background to War

Warring Sides

Outbreak

The Fighting

The World Around War

How the War Ended

Conclusion and Consequences

Chronology

Further Reading

Index

I read this book over a couple of wet afternoons and thoroughly enjoyed it end to end. The narrative flows in a logical manner, covers all the major points in chronological order, has side bars to expand in part or provide context, and, importantly, is apolitical, being equally critical of both sides and acknowledging the merits / efforts of both.

I warmed to the author's writing style early on in the book, making it that much easier to read, there is a bit of humour here and there, and good analysis, without going into numbing detail. The author keeps it on-track and it does serve as a good introduction to Russia's wars in Chechnya 1994-2009.

There is a section on a certain V P utin (page 78, 79), described as "a relatively little-known administrator and former spy..." and "...a career officer in the Soviet KGB"... "who enjoyed a meteoric rise thanks to powerful patrons within the system but was relatively unknown to the Russian public". This guy took the opportunity to punish Chechnya, looking for a quick win to burnish his credentials as a tough guy in the neighbourhood and establish Russia as a superpower.

Galeotti has a good grasp on the subject, and this comes across in the book. He delves into the politics of both sides, the rise and relevancy of Islamic influences, the factions at play and fluid allegiances in the wars.

Easily recommended, very informative, and still relevant to ongoing conflicts (Ukraine).