The Moscow Hostage Crisis An Analysis of Chechen Terrorist Goals; Strategic Insights: v.2, issue 5 (May 2003)
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Authors
Donahoe, John J.
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Date of Issue
2003-05
Date
May 2003
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
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Abstract
Despite the resolution of the hostage situation by the government raid on 27 October, can this terrorist act be considered a success for the Chechens? After all, the Chechens were able to gain international media attention for their cause that they had failed to gain through two wars with Russia. They also were able to show that Chechens could bring the fight to the Russian capital. Infiltrating forces into the Russian capital was no small accomplishment. They had to cover thousands of miles and pass through many checkpoints moving by bus from Grozny to Moscow via Dagestan, crossing borders undetected by the many Russian border and police forces. They also smuggled automatic weapons and a large amount of explosives into the heart of Moscow and hid them for six months prior to the attack. The terrorists received these weapons just before the seizure of 800 Muscovites at the Dubrovka Theater, which is located just blocks from the Kremlin. This incredible feat showed the inability of the Russian government to prevent Chechens from bringing the battle to Moscow. And it could be used to buoy the spirits of people continuing to resist Russian forces back in Chechnya.
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Article
Description
This article appeared in Strategic Insights (May 2003), v.2 no.5
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National Security Affairs (NSA)
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Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
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Citation
Strategic Insights, v.2, issue 5 (May 2003)
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This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.