First Chechen War

What happened

Russia invades separatist Chechnya; the assault on Grozny becomes one of the bloodiest urban battles in post-war Europe. Tens of thousands of civilians die across the war, documented most fully by Memorial, before Chechen forces retake Grozny in August 1996.

Russia's first post-Soviet war — lost — demonstrated both the depth of Chechen resistance and the Russian state's willingness to destroy its own cities. The unfinished outcome guaranteed a second round.

Confidence: High