[SEMINOVO]

This book provides the background necessary to understand the reasons for the Russian military invasion of Chechnya in December 1994. The history of the Chechens is traced carefully, and their sufferings under the tsars and communists are documented. The role of the Chechen leader, Dudaev, and the breakdown in negotiations in 1994 are examined closely, as the author asks whether this bitter conflict could feasibly have been avoided.