Maskhadov’s Impossible Quandary

Abstract

The last Russian army unit left Grozny on New Year’s eve 1996, and of course we were euphoric. Maskhadov had won the elections and the Russian President had sent a letter of congratulations that recognized him as Chechnya’s President. From now on all of our outstanding issues were to be resolved through negotiation and compromise, or so we thought. Chechens expected that their lives would return to normal; that there would be reconstruction, employment, and security. People thought that the deprivations of the war were over and a more stable and secure future was at hand, and they expected the government to provide a framework for the attainment of these goals.