Publication

This article assesses the consequences of Russia's invasion of the secessionist republic of Chechnya on December 11, 1994. The invasion was to suppress the republic's government, led by General Dzhokar Dudayev, compel it to accept Moscow's authority, and to force it to renounce its bid for independence and sovereignty. The authors show that it quickly turned into a military quagmire for Russia's troops, triggered a firestorm of domestic opposition, even within the higher levels of the Ministry of Defense. They contends that it has had a profound and troubling possible consequences for the stability of the Russian government, its democracy, and the political- military relationship.