Aslan Maskhadov

Aslan Aliyevich Maskhadov (Russian: ????? ??????? ????????) (September 21, 1951 ? March 8, 2005) was a leader of the separatist movement in the southern Russian republic of Chechnya. He was credited by many with the Chechen victory in the First Chechen War, which allowed for the de facto establishment of an independent Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. Maskhadov became President of the nation in January of 1997 with heavy backup from Moscow. Following the start of the Second Chechen War, he returned to leading the guerrilla movement against the Russian army. He was reported killed in a village in northern Chechnya in March 2005.

First Chechen War

After the fall of the Soviet Union, Maskhadov became the Chief of Staff for the embryonic Chechen army under the command of former Soviet general Dzhokhar Dudayev. He was the senior military figure on the Chechen side during the First Chechen War (1994-1996) and was widely seen as being instrumental to the Chechen victory over the Russian forces. He led the Chechen delegation in peace talks with Russia which led to a truce ending the war.

Related Topics:
Fall of the Soviet Union - Chief of Staff - Dzhokhar Dudayev - 1994 - 1996

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On October 17, 1996, he was appointed provisional prime minister of Chechnya following the assassination of Dudayev by Russian forces. With backing from Moscow, where he was seen as the least radical candidate, he stood for President in the elections of January 1997, running against Shamil Basayev, a field commander with a popular following. Mashkadov won a large majority and was congratulated by Russian President Boris Yeltsin, who pledged to work towards rebuilding relations with Chechnya (but still refused to recognise its independent status).

Related Topics:
October 17 - Assassination - Shamil Basayev - Boris Yeltsin

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Maskhadov's position became increasingly insecure as he gradually lost control of Basayev, who created a network of militias and warlords across the republic. Maskhadov found himself the target of assassination attempts mounted by Basayev and his allies. Chechnya became notorious for kidnappings and terrorism as well as organised crime elsewhere in Russia. Mashkhadov also attempted with only limited success to curb the growth of Wahhabism and other fundamentalist Muslim groups supported by Basayev, producing a split in the Chechen separatist movement between Muslim fundamentalists and secular nationalists.

Related Topics:
Assassination - Kidnapping - Terrorism - Wahhabism - Muslim - Muslim fundamentalists - Nationalists

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