The paradox of the costly retention of Chechnya is that few Russians view the North Caucasus as an integral part of Russia worth keeping.
Caucasus
The Caucasus region is the strategic land bridge joining Russia, Turkey and Iran. Protected by the majestic Caucasus Mountains, dozens of ethnic groups have preserved their languages, traditions and religious beliefs over centuries.
I’ve reported from the oil-boom town of Baku, covered the five-day Georgia-Russia war in 2008 and accompanied Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton on separate tours of the region. You can read about a 2011 reporting trip I took to the Russian provinces of Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia in my blog, Gonzo Goes to Grozny.
Four Die in Shoot-Out as Russia Faces Jihadist Threat
“Moscow still hasn’t worked out a strategy on the North Caucasus and hasn’t even tried,” Alexei Malashenko said. “The Kremlin doesn’t want to recognize there’s a real Islamic opposition.”
Empty Towns, Destruction in Georgia Show ‘Everyone Is to Blame’
Less than an hour’s drive to the north is Tskhinvali, where fighting began after Georgian forces took the city following a night of heavy bombardment. Most houses had broken windows and were either pockmarked by bullets or gutted by shelling.
Putin’s Outdated Illusions are Dangerous
In his speech after the massacre, Putin didn’t mention Chechnya a single time, even though it was clear that the trail from Beslan led back to the war-torn republic.
