chechnya

A region of southwest Russia in the northern Caucasus bordering on Georgia. Chechnya declared its independence from the USSR in 1991. Russian troops invaded in late 1994, which led to a war that lasted until August 1996 when the Chechens defeated the Russians. The conflict resumed in 1999 and six years later is still grinding on. It is estimated that between 75,000 to 100,000 Chechens died in both wars. The estimates for the Russian losses are between 25,000 to 40,000 soliders, 60,000 ethnic Russian who lived in Grozny at the start of the war are also believed to have died from the Russian armys bombardment of the Chechen capital Grozny. During the bombardment of Grozny it is estimated that 4,000 bombs fell on Grozny every hour, this compared to the 3,500 bombs which fell on Sarejevo everyday during the Balkan wars of the 1990's.