Two wars in under a decade have forced several hundred thousand Chechens to flee for their lives to other parts of Chechnya and also to the neighbouring republic of Ingushetia. Fighting continues between Russian forces and Chechen fighters in the form of partisan warfare and targeted killings. It is thought that over 20,000 civilians were killed during the last war and many more have been injured and traumatised for life.

Overview

Chechnya covers over 16,000 sq km and had agriculture, oil refining and petty trade as the main forms of income before the wars. Petty trade continues to some extent, but the republic’s agriculture and oil refining have largely ground to a halt.

Grozny’s suburbs have been partly re-populated, but in the centre there are almost no utilities. There is a lack of shelter in settlements in Chechnya and particularly in Grozny. Many schools and hospitals have suffered war damage and are in need of repair.

The government is now engaged in reconstruction in some areas of the republic, particularly the Capital Grozny, resulting in the rebuilding of the airport, governmental buildings, some housing, schools and hospitals and general infrastructure.

However, the majority of people in Grozny still live in poor conditions.

Life in the villages is better, though gas and electricity supplies are erratic and many houses there were also damaged. Furthermore, landmines make farming dangerous and crop production is limited by access to agricultural inputs.

Explore the links in the navigation bar on the right hand side to learn more about the North Caucasus.