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Battle for Vedeno (2001)
Encyclopedia
The 2001 battle for Vedeno was a struggle between Russian federal and Chechen separatist
forces for the control of mountainous Vedensky District in south-east of Chechnya
. The details of the battle are unknown due to the scarce independent sources.
administrators were reported killed.
On August 14, fierce fighting, described as heaviest attack of the Chechen fighters in the past seventeen months, which had been going on in southern Chechnya in and near the town of Vedeno, continued. Russian sources denied the reports by independent agencies claiming that the situation is under their control, however, reinforcement troops have been sent to the area. Russian presidential spokesman, Sergei Yastrzhembsky called the latest developments "an imitation of activity by the gangs."
On August 15, the Russian army fired SCUD
missiles at Vedeno district. Rebels hit a military helicopter
with a grenade launcher
near Tsa Vedeno, crashing it and killing both pilots.
On August 17, Chechen fighters shot down a third helicopter in five days in the southern part of Chechnya, said former minister of information Movladi Udugov
. The information was partly denied by Russian officials who only admitted to two helicopters having been shot down.
On August 22, Russia said the army had wounded Shamil Basayev
, the country’s most wanted man and killed more than 35 other rebels in Chechnya, while a separatist website insisted more than 40 Russians had died in fierce fighting, including 14 in a two separate ambushes.
Over the weekend of August 25-26, the rebels reportedly managed to seize control of the town of Vedeno. At the same time, Russian media, citing military sources, have been reporting an upsurge in the number of attacks on federal forces in Chechnya's northern districts, which were previously regarded as having been pacified.
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is the unrecognized secessionist government of Chechnya. The republic was proclaimed in late 1991 by Dzokhar Dudayev, and fought two devastating wars between separatists and the Russian Federation which denounced secession...
forces for the control of mountainous Vedensky District in south-east of Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
. The details of the battle are unknown due to the scarce independent sources.
Battle
The battle started on August 13, 2001, as the rebels seized the village of Benoi-Yurt, attacked the local military commandant's office, and placed checkpoints on a strategic road that leads further south to the town of Vedeno. Pro-MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
administrators were reported killed.
On August 14, fierce fighting, described as heaviest attack of the Chechen fighters in the past seventeen months, which had been going on in southern Chechnya in and near the town of Vedeno, continued. Russian sources denied the reports by independent agencies claiming that the situation is under their control, however, reinforcement troops have been sent to the area. Russian presidential spokesman, Sergei Yastrzhembsky called the latest developments "an imitation of activity by the gangs."
On August 15, the Russian army fired SCUD
Scud
Scud is a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and exported widely to other countries. The term comes from the NATO reporting name SS-1 Scud which was attached to the missile by Western intelligence agencies...
missiles at Vedeno district. Rebels hit a military helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
with a grenade launcher
Grenade launcher
A grenade launcher or grenade discharger is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand....
near Tsa Vedeno, crashing it and killing both pilots.
On August 17, Chechen fighters shot down a third helicopter in five days in the southern part of Chechnya, said former minister of information Movladi Udugov
Movladi Udugov
Movladi Saidarbievich Udugov was the First Deputy Prime Minister of the separatist Chechen Republic of Ichkeria...
. The information was partly denied by Russian officials who only admitted to two helicopters having been shot down.
On August 22, Russia said the army had wounded Shamil Basayev
Shamil Basayev
Shamil Salmanovich Basayev was a Chechen militant Islamist and a leader of the Chechen rebel movement.Starting as a field commander in the Transcaucasus, Basayev led guerrilla campaigns against the Russian troops for years, as well as launching mass-hostage takings of civilians, with his goal...
, the country’s most wanted man and killed more than 35 other rebels in Chechnya, while a separatist website insisted more than 40 Russians had died in fierce fighting, including 14 in a two separate ambushes.
Over the weekend of August 25-26, the rebels reportedly managed to seize control of the town of Vedeno. At the same time, Russian media, citing military sources, have been reporting an upsurge in the number of attacks on federal forces in Chechnya's northern districts, which were previously regarded as having been pacified.
External links
- Monthly news, Prague WatchdogPrague WatchdogPrague Watchdog was an English, Czech and Russian-language Prague-based on-line service that collected and disseminated information on the crisis in Chechnya and reporting on the conflict in the North Caucasus, focusing on human rights, humanitarian situation, media access and coverage, and the...
, August 2001 - REBEL FORCES CLAIM THEY SEIZED VEDENO, Jamestown Foundation, August 30, 2001