12:01, 21 February 2022

Social network users draw parallels between evacuation from Donbass and start of Chechen war

Buses with the refugees from Donbass in Rostov Region. February 19, 2022. Screenshot of the video by the "Caucasian Knot"

The idea to accommodate refugees from eastern Ukraine in Chechnya was supported by many Instagram users, who recalled that residents of Chechnya themselves had survived two military campaigns.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 19, the permanent representative office of the Russian president in the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) announced that the regions of Northern Caucasus were ready to accept 3300 refugees from eastern Ukraine.

On February 18, the start of evacuation to Russia was announced by the heads of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR).

Most of Instagram commentators have supported the idea of accepting refugees. Many recalled that they found themselves in a similar situation at the start of Chechen military campaigns.

The first Chechen war lasted from December 1994 to August 1996. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), in 1994-1995, about 26,000 people perished in Chechnya, including 2000 Russian military servicemen, 10-15,000 militants; and the rest were civilians.

On September 30, 1999, Russian troops again entered Chechnya. The hostilities in Chechnya and border regions of Northern Caucasus, known as the second Chechen war, began and lasted for 10 years, until August 2009.

The mass evacuation from Donbass to Russia looks like a "theatrical performance" aimed to justify the attack on Ukraine, the "Caucasian Knot" blogger "Wind from Apsheron" has pointed out.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 20, 2022 at 05:41 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: Caucasian Knot